Potjiekos

Instructions

1. 1 Heat the oil in a potjie pot (three-legged cast-iron pot) or heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the meat chunks in batches for four to five minutes until deeply coloured on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside on a plate.
2. 2 Sauté the onions and garlic in the same pot for three minutes until fragrant. Add the curry powder and stir for one minute until the spices bloom and coat the onions. Return the browned meat to the pot and pour in the beef stock.
3. 3 Layer the vegetables in the pot in order of cooking time: carrots and potatoes on the bottom closest to the heat, then butternut squash in the middle layer. Do not stir the layers, as the potjie method relies on steaming rather than mixing.
4. 4 Place the green beans on the very top layer as they cook fastest. Season each layer lightly with salt and pepper as you build. Cover the pot with its tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting for slow cooking.
5. 5 Simmer undisturbed for two to two and a half hours without lifting the lid or stirring. The sealed environment creates gentle steam that cooks each layer perfectly. This patience is the most important rule of potjiekos: resist the urge to peek or stir.
6. 6 After the cooking time, remove the lid and check that the meat is falling-apart tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Gently fold the layers together once and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper before serving hot from the pot.
7. 7 Serve the potjiekos directly from the three-legged pot at the table, ladling generous portions into deep bowls. Accompany with steamed rice or crusty bread to soak up the rich, curry-spiced gravy that forms naturally during the long, slow cooking process.