Monkey gland steak tastes way better than it sounds. And I promise the squeamish, it has nothing to do with monkeys.
The name was invented as a joke and then survived against all odds.

More South Africa…
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MONKEY GLAND SAUCE Serves 8
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Monkey gland steak tastes way better than it sounds. And I promise the squeamish, it has nothing to do with monkeys.
The name was invented as a joke and then survived against all odds. Decades ago superior western chefs, incensed at the habit of Johannesburg diners – pouring tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce over everything, sought revenge. They blended the two ingredients, added a few others, added their half-info about Africa and witch doctor concoctions, named it monkey gland in jest, laid it out as an insult and what do you know – it still lingers in steak-house menus. True South African nose-thumbing!

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 large tomatoes
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 apple
2 pears / plums / peaches
1/4 cup jaggery
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

PREPARATION
Dice the onions and tomatoes, and chop the garlic up as fine as possible.

Cut the apples and pears into small cubes and boil with 1 teaspoon sugar in 2 cups of water till soft.

Meanwhile heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot and saute the onions till translucent.

Add the garlic and saute for another 7 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and the pulped fruit and 1/2 cup water and simmer for 30 minutes.

Pour over your thick, juicy steak. Enjoy!

Tip : you can do without the fruit if you like.

There’s a reason for my long silence. I had a quick, and very unexpected visit to South Africa. Everyone wants to know, – where did you go, what did you do there, fact is I only zipped in and out of Jo’burg on a very tight schedule, saw no lions and did all my shopping in the duty-free. But yes, I ate!

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For someone who isn’t usually big on breakfast, you should have seen me start the day. The usual breakfast spread visible at most big hotels, and then some more… Eggs, exotic omelets, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, fried eggs, sunny side up or down. Fresh juices, – from orange and litchis to grapefruit and pineapple. Sausages, salami, ham, hash browns, oats, tomatoes, olives, capers, cheeses. Cereals, yoghurt and any fruit you can think of. Breads, croissants, pies and cakes. Fish, – herring, salmon, and others that I don’t even know the names of. Topped of with tea or coffee.

Seven days wasn’t enough to try it all. And then I discovered a waffle maker! And that was it for me! Plain waffles, sweet waffles, banana waffles, topped with strawberries and maple syrup. Yum. And all this before our 8.30 am pick-up for someone who always says ‘I don’t feel like eating that early’.

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