#RooibosRecipe: Braai Sauce by Carmen Niehaus

Make sure your next braai is an unforgettable one by marinating your meat in this flavoursome sauce. Not only it will give a wonderful flavour to the meat, but will also tenderize it.

ROOIBOS BRAAI SAUCE

The combination of various Carmién Tea infused rooibos teas help to create an interesting flavour profile to this versatile braai sauce that is ideal to use over chicken as well as pork and lamb. Apart from the rooibos, it has subtle notes of ginger and chilli, fenugreek and fennel as well as lemon The rooibos in the sauce also serves as a tenderizer and makes it ideal to marinade tougher meat cuts in. The sauce can be used in a potjie as well. To add a more unique flavour to your braai meat, season the meat with one of the Carmen Niehaus salt and rooibos combos. I have used the Fynbos salt (green rooibos with a hint of buchu in the mix) on our meat. You can also use the Carmen Niehaus Braai salt.

BRAAI SAUCE

• 8 Carmién Revive (green rooibos with ginger & chilli)
• 5 Carmién Nursing (rooibos with fenugreek & fennel)
• 4 Carmién Zesty Lemon (rooibos with lemon)
• 750 ml (3 c) boiling water
• 80 ml (⅓ c) oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 60 ml (¼ c) apple cider vinegar
• 4 sachets (50 g each) tomato paste
• 100 ml brown sugar
• 15 ml (1 T) mustard powder
• 10 ml (2 t) Worcestershire sauce
• Salt to taste

CHICKEN

• 12 chicken pieces
• Carmen Niehaus Braai or Fynbos salt
• SAUCE Place the tea bags in a large mixing bowl, add boiling water and infuse for about 5 minutes; squeeze the bags to remove all liquid and remove the bags.
• Heat the oil in a large pot, add the onion and garlic and stir till soft. Add rest of the ingredients, including the tea. Stir well and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes till the sauce has reduced and a nice flavoursome sauce has formed. Let cool.
• Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in a large dish. Season with salt. Pour over the marinade. Leave to marinade for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.
• CHICKEN Arrange the chicken on a braai grid and braai over moderate coals till done, about 30—40 minutes or until the juices runs clear. Brush frequently with the braai sauce.
• Pour the leftover marinade in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil until reduced to a thick sauce. Serve the chicken with bread rolls or pap and spoon over some of the sauce.

HINT

• Store any of the left-over sauce (that had been cooked) in the fridge for a week or two and use for your next braai.
•  If you want a more fiery sauce just add more Carmién Revive (green rooibos with ginger & chilli) when making the tea.