Tomato Bredie

A bredie is the Cape’s answer to the stew, a slow-cooked dish built on one main vegetable and lamb, and tomato bredie is the most loved of them all. It comes from the Cape Malay tradition, where patience and a heavy pot turn simple ingredients into something extraordinary. The tomatoes cook down to a jammy, sweet-sour sauce that has been comforting South Africans for generations.

A jammy, sweet-sour sauce worth the wait

The lamb turns meltingly tender, and the sauce thickens around it, catching a warm hint of cinnamon and bay that lifts the tomatoes into something more. A little sugar balances the acidity, and the whole pot begs for mashed potato or rice to soak up every drop. Make it on a lazy Sunday, and the kitchen will smell like home.

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