Sosaties

Admittedly, I have never been to South Africa. But, if I were to visit the country (and, hopefully, someday I will), I would like to find myself in a backyard of a friend's house, as charcoal smoke gently wafts from a grill, surrounded by family and friends, whose chatter competes with the sizzle of lamb and apricot skewers on the grill grate. 

Yes, if I had the chance, I would love to attend a braai in which, among other meats and sausages, the grillmaster was carefully watching the grilling of sosaties. These lamb and apricot skewers are among my most favorite kebabs, on the level with Persian barreh kebabs or Nigerian suya kebabs. Yet, what sets apart South African sosaties is the use of apricots alongside onions and lamb, as opposed to peppers, tomatoes or other ingredients. 

Sosaties originate with South Africa's Cape Malay community. Historically, the Cape Malay people are the descendents of Muslim slaves brought to southern Africa by colonizers, originally from the Dutch East Indies (present day Indonesia), but the group also includes individuals (both slaves and freed people) also from other parts of eastern and southern Asia, along with parts of Africa, like Madagascar. What united these people were their religion -- Islam -- and their decision to use Malay as a lingua franca. But, today, it is their religion that unites them, as many now speak Afrikaans and/or English.

These skewers are, in some ways, a reflection of multi-culturalism. Their ingredients, particularly the use of curry powders are echoes of an eastern or southern Asian past. The use of dried fruits, as well as the use of kebabs generally, provides hints of possible Persian influences. And, the cooking techniques, those could have originated with the European colonialists. 

Yet, sosaties are something that can bring together all South Africans. As one description set the scene: 

On Sundays in South Africa, you can smell these curried lamb skewers cooking over live fires throughout every neighborhood as families gather around the braai, an Afrikaans word that describes both the social event and the actual technique of grilling over a live fire.

That description comes from the Splendid Table, but the concept of people gathering together around a grill for, among other things, those kebabs can be found in many other accounts. It is yet another reminder of how food can unite different people within one country, and, perhaps, around the world. 

SOSATIES

Recipe from Cookies and Crumbs

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the marinade):

• 1 onion (some will be used for the marinade, some for the kebabs)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 4-6 slices of 1/2 inch ginger
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 cup apricot jam

Ingredients (for the kebabs);

• 2 pounds lamb (preferably leg or chops)
• 3/4 cup of dried apricots

Directions:

1. Prepare the onions. Cut the onion in half. With one half, cut strups vertically that will go onto the kebabs. You will need at least 20-25 vertical strips, perhaps more. Set aside and dice the remaining onion. 

2. Prepare the marinade. Warm the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When it is warm, saute the diced onions until they are soft and transluscent. While the onions saute, cut the lamb into bite-sized pieces, as square as possible. Wehn the onions are soft, add all of the rest of the marinade ingredients except for the apricot jam. Mix together and cook for a few more mounites to release the flavors and let them meld together. Then add the jam and cover. 

3. Continue preparing the marinade. Heat the marinade until it starts bubbling, then turn down the heat. Let it simmer, covered, for a few more minutes to thicken. 

4. Prepare the lamb. When the marinade is ready, remove from heat and let cool. Add the lamb to a ziploc bag and then the cooled marinade. Mix to make sure that the marinade covers all of the meat. marinate for at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight in the refrigerator. 

5. Prepare the skewers. About an hour before grilling, remove the marinated lamb from the refrigerator. Add the onions and dried apricots. The apricots will need about an hour or two in the marinanadte to plump up. If they are not plump, add them to hot water for a few minutes. When you are ready to grill, assemble the kebabs by placing meat, dried apricots, and onion on the kebab sticks in whatever order you like. 

6. Grill the skewers. Place the skewers on a medium-high heat grill and turn frequently, about every minute or two. It will take only a few minutes on each side to cook through the bite-sized piees. You can check meat doneness by pressing on the piece of meat. If the liquid runs out pink, it is rare. If it is clear, it is medium. Do not overcoook the kebabs. 

PEACE.