Moula Kawal (Kawal Sauce)

Ingredients:

75g okra powder
200g charmout (dried meat, substitute biltong or jerky)
4 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
250ml oil
250ml tomato purée
1 hot chilli
salt, to taste
2 Maggi cubes
1 ball (about 3 tbsp) kawal (fermented locust bean paste), crushed in a mortar

Method:

Pound the okra in a mortar then sift to remove any fibres. Grind the meat in a food processor to break up any sinews or fibres.

Bring 2l water to a boil in a large pan. Reduce the heat to a rolling boil and keep until needed.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes, or until just beginning to turn golden. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds then add the powdered meat. Stir-fry the mixture for 3 minutes.

Carefully stir in a ladleful of water, bring back to a boil and season with salt.

Stirring constantly, add another ladleful of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the oil separates and floats to the surface and the mixture is thick.

At this point add another ladleful of water, stirring it in a small amount at a time. Now work in the dried okra powder and stir well to combine. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add more water to thin the stew to your liking then crush in the Maggi cubes and stir in hot chilli paste, to your taste along with the kawal.

Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve with millet balls or with kissar.