Potjie

• Place your cast-iron pot on the coals and let it warm up very well (at least 5 to 10 minutes).
  1 bag sekelbos, 1 packet firelighters, 1 bag charcoal briquettes
• Add vegetable oil to the pot and a handful of chopped onion. Let the onion fry until well browned - discard these onions as they just flavour the oil and season the pot.
  3 - 6 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  
• Add the lamb in batches and fry until well browned, adding more oil if necessary. Remove from the pot and reserve.
  1 kg stewing lamb
  
• Add the remaining chopped onion to the pot as well as the Moroccan spice or Ras el hanout. Fry the onion and spices until fragrant but don't let it get too brown. You can achieve this by moving the pot to a colder part of the fire or by stirring continuously.
  1 large onion, roughly chopped, 3 tbsp Moroccan spice or Ras el hanout
  
• Return the browned lamb pieces to the pot and mix well with the onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
  1 kg stewing lamb
  
• Add the tomato paste and tins of tomato. Stir to disperse the tomato paste and to break up the whole tomatoes if you are using them.
  200 g tomato paste, 3 tins tomatoes, chopped or whole
  
• Put the lid on the pot and leave to simmer on the fire for one to one and a half hours. Check on the contents every 30 minutes or so and add some warm water or stock if the meat is no longer covered with liquid.
  ½ - 1 L warm water or stock
  
• Remove the lid and stir the pot lightly, checking that nothing is catching on the bottom.
  
• Add the potatoes and carrots or any other starchy veggies. Check that there is enough liquid to cover the veggies by adding warm water or stock as necessary. Replace the lid and let the pot simmer for another 30 minutes.
  500 g baby potatoes, washed, 250 g carrots, in 3 cm chunks
  
• Add the patty pans, baby marrows and dried apricots if using. The softer veggies do not have to be covered in liquid as they will cook by steam. There has to be sufficient liquid in the pot to produce a thick sauce or gravy though. Replace the lid and cook for about 20 minutes.
  250 g patty pans, washed and halved, 250 g baby marrows, in 3 cm chunks, handful of dried apricots (optional)
  
• Remove the lid and lightly stir the pot. Sample the sauce and add salt, pepper and sweetener to taste. Add a little warm water or stock if too much of the liquid has cooked off.
  salt and pepper to taste, sweetener to taste
  
• Add the button mushrooms and stir through. Let the pot simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. At this stage you can leave the lid off if the sauce is still quite thin. Letting the pot simmer without the lid will let the liquid reduce and the sauce will thicken.
  250 g white button mushrooms, cleaned
  
• Once all the veggies are soft, the lamb is falling off the bone, and the sauce has thickened, serve the potjiekos on rice or couscous.