Bredie is a South African stew or ragout of meat (usually mutton) with vegetables. Bredie which is pronounced as "bray-dee" refers to South Africa's traditional stews made from lamb or tomatoes and vegetables that is cooked slowly. It is one of the country's popular foods.

Bredie is derived from the Madagascan word "bredi", introduced by the slaves who arrived in the Cape Colony, some of them of Madagascan origin.

It is said that the unique character of the Bredie comes from the long and slow simmering until the meat and vegetables melt together in a rich, thick and full-bodied gravy which is obtained by using meat with a fair amount of bone and fat like that of mutton, rolling it in flour and browning it before the vegetables are added. Some of the vegetables used to prepare Bredie are potatoes, onions, cabbage, beans or pumpkins.

Read more ...