Both my daughter and I still agree after all these years!!
Waterblommetjie Bredie (Mutton stew of water flowers) This is hands down the best stew ever! Both my daughter and I still agree!
You won’t find a better stew than this in South Africa – Look out for these in your country as they do get exported!
Serves: 4 – 5
Waterblommetjie bredie (Stew) with pumpkin fritters and rice – This recipe comes from Pinterest and is not my own but exactly how it should look. These vegetables go very well with this dish.
Absolutely delicious for cold winter months! – They usually come into season around June – September and are exported in tins. – Waterblommetjies are indigenous to South Africa’s Western Cape province and grow on the vleis and shallow dams from the West Coast to the Boland.
Tip: As a rule of thumb I always use equal vegetables to meat (excluding potatoes and onions). I always add a whole potato at the beginning because this aids in the thickening of the gravy once done.
Keep it simple! – This is delish, plain and simple as it is! Please don’t change a thing!
You may use knuckles, lamb tails, neck, chump chops, best end lamb chops or ribs if fatty mutton is unavailable.
This recipe comes off the back of a tin, from which I’ve always made mine.
Note: If using fresh waterblommetjies, wash the waterblommetjies and allow them to soak in water for 30 minutes. Pre-cook them until fork tender and add them to pot 30 minutes before serving or to tenderize them (per 250 g) before cooking, soak them in a solution of 750 ml water to one vitamin C tablet. Rinse well and microwave or steam in a little water with plenty moisture, covered, until very fork tender and then follow recipe as for tinned waterblommetjies. I once used fresh waterblommetjies and they were very large and tough, which got me thinking that the tinned one’s which are smaller and tastier, could be the one’s they are packaging for export.
The label to look out for on these tins when in season Sept – Oct.
Ingredients:
2 x 410 g (820 g) cans Riverside Waterblommetjies
500-700 g fatty mutton, (lambs tails, flank, shin or shoulder) cubed
15 ml oil
2 onions, chopped
Few drops of lemon juice or vinegar (Fresh lemon juice is by far preferable!)
5 – 10 m brown sugar (Optional)
Aromat to season or any seasoning of choice (Aromat is a South African seasoning)
Salt and white or black pepper, to taste
200 ml boiling water
1 – 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Inside of the label, of the Waterblommetjie tin is the recipe that I have always used. Keep it simple is the secret to a good waterblommetjie recipe!
Method:
Drain waterblommetjies, brown meat in oil, remove and reserve. Fry onions in pot until transparent. Add meat, flavourings and water. Simmer gently until meat is almost cooked. Add potatoes and waterblommetjies and simmer until meat is well cooked. Mash some of the potatoes to thicken the stew. Serve with fluffy white steamed rice. Enjoy!
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Comments
Waterblommetjies = Aponogeton distachyos. they should sell them there at nurseries in PE. It is indigenous to the E.Cape I believe?
I wish! They grow in shallow water only around Western Cape and Boland. I’m sure we could grow them on ponds here but there is only 1 supplier it seemshttps://www.facebook.com/Riverside-Farm…/… and demand sadly doesn’t seem that great because supermarkets here are just not stocking it as before. Fruit ‘n Veg is the only place I have seen sometimes selling them fresh when in season. Perhaps Woolies too
Grow them in your unused pool & make a killing selling them
The water must be knee deep. I’d have to empty the water out Lol Waterblommetjies are harvested June
Riverside farm Waterblommetjies
I try avoid tinned food, toxins in the metal
I always made mine from the tinned waterblommetjies. Loved those! If fresh, just pre-cook, until fork tender