This recipe was taught to me by my aunt, "Huri Mamie". She lived in Strand, but did her shopping in Athlone, so she and my uncle would frequently stop at our house in Gatesville for lunch.

The kitchen would be filled with the lekker aroma of onions and spices. Just thinking about them, my mouth is watering. I always prepare oond frikkadelle the way my aunt showed me, and I'm sure wherever she is, she must be smiling on me. - Fahmida Ismail

Serves 8-10

Tomato chutney:

Oil, for frying

1 onion, chopped

6 firm, red tomatoes

Salt, to taste

2.5ml (½ tsp) turmeric

5ml (1 tsp) chilli powder

Frikkadelle:

30ml (2 tbsp) oil

3 large onions, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

10 slices white bread

1kg mutton mince

2.5ml (½ tsp) salt

7.5ml (1½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper

7.5ml (1½ tsp) ground ginger

2.5ml (½ tsp) ground nutmeg

3 fresh green chillies, chopped

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

Method:

For the chutney, heat a little oil and fry the onions until soft. Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric and chilli powder. Cook over a medium heat until thickened. Set aside.

For the frikkadelle, heat the oil and fry the onions and green pepper until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Place the bread in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water. Mix together the bread, mince, salt, pepper, ginger, nutmeg and chillies. Add the onion mixture and mix well. Shape the mince into balls about the size of your palm and arrange in an oiled baking dish. Add 125ml (½ cup) water to the dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with beaten egg and bake for a further 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool in the dish. Serve with rice topped with vagaar (crispy fried onions), with tomato chutney and mango atchar on the side.

Fahmida Ismail wins R500. To enter, send us your original recipe and tell us the story behind it. E-mail entries to food@sundaytimes.co.za with READER RECIPE as the subject. Please state that the recipe is your own creation and has never been published in any form.