A comforting, old school South African Curry and Rice recipe! Most definitely the ultimate South African comfort food. The sort of Curry and Rice you would find at the local church bazaar, vessels filled to the rim, topped with fruity Chutney and a tablespoon of coconut. Spread out on tiny tables and accompanied by old smiling ladies with shiny cheeks and dirty aprons.
South African Curry and Rice
Other than at church bazaars and school markets, this South African Curry and Rice is the perfect warming meal to cook when those first blue clouds come tumbling over the African horizon. Then the storm moves like angry boulders and the blistering wind comes rushing through the windows. The wind carries one thing – that unmistakable cent of RAIN. And in an instant, you know, Curry and Rice for dinner!
Back in the day, when the heavens used to open up, a thunderstorm always summoned my mom and gran to the kitchen to deliver (in what feels like minutes) delicious rainy day comfort foods.
The ever popular (pannekoek) pancakes with cinnamon sugar or the mouthwatering “melkkos” with heaps of sugar and butter – I have managed to attach a sort of special memory onto these dishes. A highveld storm…
What Ingredients do you need for South African Curry and Rice
Luckily you don’t have to look for any weather updates, nor do you have to be a local to enjoy this delicious meal. Let’s get to the good stuff…
This version of South African Curry and Rice consists of slow cooked, minced beef in a sweet and spicy curry sauce. Beef mince is such a versatile protein. Here is a little roundup I did a while ago for more ideas – four ways with Beef Mince.
The curry sauce is a simple combination of curry spice (I used Raj sweet and spicy) turmeric, sugar, vinegar, tomato sauce and fruit chutney (Mrs Balls is the best.)
Furthermore, this recipe also has finely chopped carrot and cubes of potatoes cooked to perfection.
It’s usually served with rice, extra chutney, desiccated coconut and sliced bananas.
How To Make South African Curry and Rice
Start off by sautéing the onion with the garlic until fragrant. Next add the mince and work it through with a wooden spoon to brown.
Add a cup of water and cook the meat for about 10 minutes with the lid on. Remember to check it every now and then, and give it a good stir to cook evenly.
Once the meat is brown, add another cup or so of water. This is when you add the carrots and potatoes. It needs to cook in the water you added to the pot, so just check that there is enough liquid. Lid on, and cook for about 10 – 15 minutes until the potatoes and carrots feel soft. Don’t let it cook too dry, so just add a touch more water if you need.
In the meantime you can prepare your sauce by combining the tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, curry powder, turmeric, flour, salt and chutney. Give it a good mix. Pour it into the cooked mince and mix. The flour will cook in the bit of liquid left in the pot and will thicken the sauce. Lastly lower the the heat, and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Can you freeze Curry and Rice?
Yes, you can most definitely freeze this Curry and Rice. A great idea is to double up this recipe and make it in bulk for a speedy dinner. The curry mince freezes perfectly for up to two months and great to use in a number of ways. You can also freeze your portions by adding your cooked rice at the bottom of the container, topped with curry mince. Simply remove the desired portions in the morning to thaw, and reheat in the microwave.
More dinner recipes with Beef mince
Beef Bolognese and Tomato Salsa Subs
Beef Samosas with Ginger and Soy Dip
Easy Mince Pies
Best Beef Burgers
Italian Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes
| Prep Time | 5 min |
| Cook Time | 30 min |
| Servings | servings |
- 1 kg beef mince
- 2 onions peeled and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 cups water
- 4 large carrots peeled and chopped fine
- 3 potatoes peeled and finely cubed
- 20 ml tomato sauce
- 20 ml white vinegar
- 30 ml brown sugar
- 9 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups fruit chutney or one cup, if you want it less saucy
- sprigs fresh rosemary chopped
Ingredients
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- Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the onion with the garlic.
- Add the mince to pot, brown and add a cup full of water.
- Cook the meat for about 10 minutes with the lid on, every now and then giving it a mix and making sure the meat has a little water on it. Don’t let the meat cook dry.
- Add the potatoes and carrots, add more water if needed, and cook for another 10 minutes with the lid on, until the potatoes and carrots feel soft.
- In a mixing bowl combine the tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar, curry powder, turmeric, flour, salt and chutney. Give it a good mix.
- Add the sauce to the mince and mix through. Add the rosemary, Lower heat and let it simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes.
- Serve with fluffy basmati rice, chutney, coconut and sliced bananas.
This is exactly like I remember my Gran and Mother’s curry and rice! Seeing that it is winter – a very cold one! – I’m definitely making this for dinner tonight! Thanks!
Hi Rika,
Thank you for the comment. Ain’t it just the most comforting meal? Do Enjoy!
There are lots of varieties of curry available…. what do you recommend to have that good old flavor?
Hi Paul,
This recipe which was passed down from my Mom In Law, uses the Rajah Mild and Spicy curry powder. I love it, because it’s not too hot and goes so well with the sweetness of the fruit chutney. Hope this helps!
Hi Anina,
What kind of tomato sauce do you use? I’m in Canada, picturing an Italian jar or pasta sauce….
Thanks!
Jessica
Hi Jess,
I used the All Gold range we have here in South Africa. A Heinz ketchup will work great too. If you want to use a pasta sauce, I recommend just adding a tablespoon or two tomato puree – let me know how it went!
I used a can of diced tomatoes and a couple of tablespoons of heinz ketchup…it worked well:)
Hi Laura,
Thanks for the tip! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious! Easy to make and it took me straight back to the curry & rice we used to get at airships and school fêtes – a real treat after being in the UK for the past 24 years 😋
* air shows not airships 😁
Hi Victoria, I am so glad you enjoyed it – the best meal ever!
Hi Anina
This is EXACTLY how my Mom makes curry and the way I make it too. I have lived in the States for 20 years and have managed to find curry that works. But I wanted to comment mostly on the memories you were talking about – all our school Fetes had a curry and rice and a boerewors tent – my folks always manned them. There is nothing better than that bowl of curry and rice – for some reason it always tastes SO amazing when you are walking around all morning!
Janine
Hi Janine, thank you so much for this comment. It really is such a lovely memory to have, I hope you give this recipe a try!
Hi Anina, would like to suprise our daughter with this dish, when she comes and visit. She grew up in South Africa nd has great memories of Curry and Rice from her time at Nursery shool 🙂
What do you suggest as a starter…and dessert???
many thanks, Ingeborg
Hi Ingeborg! Thank you for commenting! I would love to know what she thinks of this recipe! For starters I could recommend something light and refreshing like the Chilled Cucumber, Pea and Mint Soup. Dessert is a no brainer really – MALVA PUDDING! Let me know what you think!
Hi Anina,
Thanks for the recipe… and the trip on memory lane! Nothing like a good old South African mince curry and rice – makes my mouth water already! My mom is visiting us in London from Cape Town, whilst I’m recovering from ankle surgery, and I’m in the “lucky situation” at the moment where I can just place my orders 😜, so my mom is making this for dinner – yippee!! We too used to eat it with sliced bananas when I was growing up in Namibia, but I’ve only started adding the desicated coconut in later years – both, and of course some Mrs Balls orginal (fruit) chutney, compliments it wonderfully! Thanks again for the recipe, the bit of background to it and your lovely photos. Beste wense! Cornelia
Hi Cornelia, thank you so much for your kind words! I hope you are feeling better and rested, nothing like having mom there to treat you. Enjoy!
I want to make this for my hubby to give him a taste of home. Where does the rosemary come in? Garnish?
Hi Susan, You can add the rosemary in the sauce and let it simmer. Gives a great depth of flavour!
I would like to make this. What is fruit chutney? If I can’t find it, is it necessary for the dish?
Hi Bjoy, Chutney is a spicy-sweet-sour condiment made with fresh and dried fruit, sugar, vinegar. It makes this dish, yes!
Hello! I just found this recipe, going to cook it tonight but i don’t have chutney. Going to improvise… but for future, do you ever make your own chutney or do you know Mrs Ball’s secret? Weer liver in Finland, no chutney for miles!
Hi Rosa, thanks so much for the comment! I haven’t actually made my own chutney before but would love to try a peach chutney if I can get my hands on plenty of fruit! Sorry you can’t find Mrs Balls there – we all wish we can make a version as good as that one!
Oh wow, this must be the most delicious thing I have ever cooked. Thank you SO much! I just recently found your blog and I am loving it! 🙂
Hi Ninna,
I am chuffed! Thank you for your kind words. Enjoy!
I found this recipe about 2 years ago and keep coming back to make this drive-in or tuck shop curry and rice. Thanks for sharing your recipe, it’s a hit in my household.
Hi Jacky,
How awesome, thanks for the comment!
Delicious! Been looking for this recipe for a while now. Thank you.
Hi Santie, yes, this one is a winner! Glad you liked it!
We just returned from South Africa and want to treat our friends to this amazing sounding dish. I have never made fruit chutney before and found a number of recipes. Can you tell what kind of fruit you used in your fruit chutney.
Thank You
Jan
Hi Janice, I actually use a store bought chutney made from peaches primarily. You can find it throughout South African retailers and it’s called Mrs. Balls Fruit Chutney. It’s simply the best!
Hi Anina,
Sounds like the good old curry…but I have memories of curry from a take away in Durban around 1974-5-6. The particular cafe/takeaway was opposite the Post Office and almost next to the music store that was on corner of Pine and Gardiner Streets.
Now that wasn’t mince meat but meat cubes/chunks.
Any idea what needs to change to get your curry similar to that?
Memories…ahhhhh
Hi Paul,That does sound amazing. I figure if you use cubes of meat, cut them in equal size and brown them in the pot with olive oil, before you do anything else. I would then add it in before you add the sauce, and then just look at cooking time, not to overcook them.
Very much yum! Thank you for the recipe. My family enjoyed it!
So glad to hear Lindsay! xoxo
Hi Anina. Thank you SO much for the recipe. I have been looking for a version of the classic very well know “kerrie en rys”, and like all the South African and ex- South Africas mentioned in the previous replies, this is the exact taste that take us back Yonker years to those usually sold at food stalls at air shows and church bazaars… i dont know if you would know the answer, but usually you fry your spices(curry and turmeric etc) with your onions prior to putting in the meat. What do you think is the difference? Once again, thanks for the memories that surfaced when eating this delicious meal!!
Hi Ferdi! Thanks for the comment and yes, a trip down memory lane! Yes, I know this recipe is a bit different – usually when I make curry I fry the spices before hand – this just brings out the aroma and flavour. THIS recipe however, I tried to keep it as original (church bazaar recipe from my mother in law) as possible and it calls for the curry spice to be mixed through the “sauce” and then added to the cooked meat. Nostalgia on a plate! Enjoy!
Want to make this for dinner can I use white sugar instead of brown?
Hi Shena, Yes you can use white sugar. Enjoy!
I’ve never had the authentic version of this so I don’t know how it should taste. But some decent substitutes I’ve found in the US for the South African variants of things are Major Grey mango chutney and/or or spicy mango chutney—which are easily found in *most* major supermarkets in the Indian sections—and Currywurst ketchup for the tomato sauce (a German import that I’ve found at European delis). It tastes incredible!
Sounds amazing Sara, thanks for the update! xoxo
I am a confused as to the amount of tomato sauce used.
20 ml is barely more than a table spoon.(1 tablespoon = 15 ml)
Is this correct?
Hi Dave, yes 20ml but you can add a little more if you like. I sometimes use my 30ml measuring cup.
When searching for a beef curry recipe, I just found your site today! I am delighted with the South African version you provide. A neighbor introduced me to a similar curry a few days ago. Your recipe sounds fantastic–I’m eager to prepare it SOON.
Thanks Judy! Hope you enjoy! xxx