This is a true South African dish. A "bredie" is a stew. The "water"means just that, and "blommetjie" (small flower)-"bredie" (stew) are all Afrikaans words for this traditional dish. It is made of meat - usually lamb - stewed together with a flower (known as Cape Pondweed or Water Hawthorn) found in the dams and marshes of the Western Cape. The buds (waterblommetjies) are usually ready to be picked in the winter months of July and August. Although, the weather has been rather strange this year and I still seem to be able to buy them at the local supermarket (it's November!).
Ingredients:
A pack of stewing lamb meat
Dash of oil
Small nob of butter
Salt and Pepper
Cup of dry white wine
Squeeze of lemon or spoon of vinegar
Can of tomato or 5 or 6 fresh
x1 onion
Clove of garlic (optional)
Couple chilies (optional) (not too many as is detracts from the flavor of the flowers)
x2 heads of waterblommetjies
1/2 cube of stock
x1 Apple (optional) - if you have
A couple of peeled and diced potatoes
pinch of sugar
Brown meat in a pan with dash of oil and butter. Remove meat and add onion, garlic, chilies and season. Add tomato, cup of wine (or more) and sugar, cook for half an hour. Add meat and cook. Add some of the potatoes and some of the waterblommetjies (for thickening and flavor). Cook on a slow heat until lamb is tender and sauce is thickening, add remaining waterblommetjjies and potatoes and cover. Cook for a good half to full hour - taste meat and check potatoes to tell. Serve with rice and enjoy.
The taste of the flower is described as much like stewed green beans with a hint of pumpkin, but i definitely pick up a hint of asparagus.
The binomial name for the flower is Aponogeton 
distachyum/distachyus. It's also used as an aquarium and pond plant. It was introduced to Europe in the seventeenth century, and later into other parts of the world. It has escaped into the wild and has become widely naturalised in Australia, and more locally in France and England. In North America it is naturalised in southern and western California- Wikipedia
distachyum/distachyus. It's also used as an aquarium and pond plant. It was introduced to Europe in the seventeenth century, and later into other parts of the world. It has escaped into the wild and has become widely naturalised in Australia, and more locally in France and England. In North America it is naturalised in southern and western California- Wikipedia This is a true Cape Dish, made by the Malay and Afrikaans people, both have their various differences. I am making mine with a tomato base (similar to a classic tomato bredie)I have added garlic & chilies (a definite no-no in the traditional recipe). Substitute what you don’t like.
Ingredients:
A pack of stewing lamb meat
Dash of oil
Small nob of butter
Salt and Pepper
Cup of dry white wine
Squeeze of lemon or spoon of vinegar
Can of tomato or 5 or 6 fresh
x1 onion
Clove of garlic (optional)
Couple chilies (optional) (not too many as is detracts from the flavor of the flowers)
x2 heads of waterblommetjies
1/2 cube of stock
x1 Apple (optional) - if you have
A couple of peeled and diced potatoes
pinch of sugar
Brown meat in a pan with dash of oil and butter. Remove meat and add onion, garlic, chilies and season. Add tomato, cup of wine (or more) and sugar, cook for half an hour. Add meat and cook. Add some of the potatoes and some of the waterblommetjies (for thickening and flavor). Cook on a slow heat until lamb is tender and sauce is thickening, add remaining waterblommetjjies and potatoes and cover. Cook for a good half to full hour - taste meat and check potatoes to tell. Serve with rice and enjoy.
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