Mavrou for Wedding

SERVES
6 – 8
DIFFICULTY
Easy
COOKING TIME
2 hours 15 minutes
During wedding season, every Sunday was booked to capacity, and every hall was turned into a thing of beauty. Everyone was dressed to the nines, elegant and dapper. Aunties, uncles, grannies and cousins, friends and neighbours. All that was missing was a big sign at the entrance saying, “Everyone is welcome” because that’s exactly how it was, no one was turned away. The aunties would gather around a table and break out into a song just before the servers walked out with platters and bowls full of food. One of those dishes was often the classic and very traditional Mavrou, made with cubes of steak and served on special occasions.  Fatima Sydow

INGREDIENTS
4 T oil
5 onions, finely chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and finely chopped
5 chillies, seeded and chopped
5 cloves
5 bay leaves
5 allspice berries
4 cardamom pods
5 sticks cinnamon sticks
2 kg steak, cut into cubes
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, grated
1 T ground cumin
1 T ground coriander
1 T ground black pepper
1 T sugar
salt, to taste

Cooking Instruction

1. In a very large pot, heat the oil and braise the onions, green peppers and chillies with all the whole spices until golden brown, for about 15 minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and braise on medium to low heat for 2 hours, adding just a little water now and then to prevent burning, and stirring when required.

3. Serve with mashed potatoes or yellow rice and vegetables like carrots, peas, sweetcorn and gem squash.

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