Tamatie kos tomato lamb stew with potatoes over basmati rice

Tomato Lamb Stew Recipe | Traditional South African Tamatie Kos with Potatoes

Byjason@traveltrailstastes

Afrikaner Tamatie Kos – slow-braised lamb in rich tomato gravy with potatoes, vinegar & sugar balance. The original NOT Cape Malay Bredie. Served with basmati rice.

Tamatie Kos Recipe | South African Tomato Lamb Stew with Rice

The original Afrikaner Tamatie Kos – NOT Cape Malay Bredie. No curry spices, just slow-braised mutton/lamb in deep savoury tomato gravy with potatoes and basmati rice. Pages stained with tomato from our family book.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Servings: 4
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Stew:
  • 700 g mutton/lamb bone-in pieces
  • 1 Tbsp oil
  • 10 ripe tomatoes chopped
  • 2 large onions chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves crushed
  • 100 g tomato paste
  • 1-2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp brown vinegar
  • salt/pepper
  • 8 small Nicola potatoes peeled
  • 1 bouquet garni thyme/rosemary/parsley
  • To Serve:
  • Warm basmati rice

Method
 

  1. Heat oil in potjie, brown meat well.
  2. Add onions, sauté golden. Add garlic, tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, salt/pepper, bouquet garni. Stir.
  3. Cover simmer 1.5 hours until meat tender.
  4. Add potatoes, cook 15-20 min until soft but holding shape.
  5. Remove bouquet garni, serve over basmati rice with gravy.

Notes

  • Tamatie Bredie: “Bredie” is the traditional Afrikaans (and Cape Malay) word for a slow-cooked vegetable and meat stew. A proper tamatie bredie often features whole aromatic spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, leaning into Cape Malay heritage, and is traditionally cooked low-and-slow without adding extra water so the meat braises in the tomato and onion juices.
  • Tamatie Lamb Kos: Literally translated as “tomato lamb food,” tamatie kos is a more colloquial, everyday Afrikaans expression used in many homes for a comforting tomato-based meat stew. While it follows the same core recipe of lamb (often neck or knuckles), tomatoes, onions, and potatoes, people might use standard western herbs like thyme or parsley instead of traditional Cape Malay whole spices, or refer to it simply as “tomato stew”

If you loved this snoek braai, try my Oxtail Potjie and Cape Malay Pickled Fish, or serve it as part of a South African Braai Platter.

What is the difference between Tamatie Kos and Tomato Bredie?

Tamatie Kos is the original Afrikaner farm stew – no curry spices, just slow-braised lamb in a deep savoury tomato gravy with potatoes. Tomato Bredie is Cape Malay and adds curry-like spices, cinnamon and sometimes potatoes cooked differently. Different heritage, different flavour.

Why add sugar and vinegar to Tamatie Kos?

1-2 Tbsp sugar and 1 Tbsp brown vinegar balance the acidity of 10 ripe tomatoes + 100g tomato paste. Our family cookbook pages are stained red from testing this balance – it’s sweet-sour-savoury, not sharp.

Can I use canned tomatoes?

Fresh ripe tomatoes are best for Tamatie Kos, chopped with skins. In winter you can use 2x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes, but reduce added water by half and cook 10 minutes longer to reduce.

What do you serve with Tamatie Kos?

Fluffy warm basmati rice to soak up the gravy. Not pap or samp. Remove the bouquet garni (thyme/rosemary/parsley) before serving. Nicola potatoes added in the last 20 minutes should be soft but hold their shape.