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Sheba
Tomato and onion relish
Sheba: South African tomato and onion relish for pap at a Heritage Day braai
On 24 September, Heritage Day, South Africans light the braai, and next to the boerewors and chops there is always a pot of stiff pap with sheba spooned over it. Sheba is the everyday township relish of onions and tomatoes cooked down with chilli and curry powder until thick and jammy, sweet, sour and gently hot. It keeps well, so many families make a big pot the day before. Chef's tip: cook the onions slowly first; their sweetness is what balances the sharp tomatoes.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onionssliced
- 2 cloves garlicchopped
- 1 green chillichopped
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- 6 ripe tomatoeschopped (about 700 g)
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat the 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium-low heat and cook the 2 onions for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and pale gold.
10 minStep 2: Add the 2 cloves garlic, 1 green chilli and 1 tsp mild curry powder and stir for 1 minute until the spices smell toasty.
2 minStep 3: Add the 6 ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar, ¾ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring and pressing the tomatoes, until most of the liquid has gone and a spoon drawn through leaves a clear line. A common mistake is covering the pan, which leaves it watery.
15 minStep 4: Taste and adjust the salt and sugar. Serve warm over pap, or cool and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sheba take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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