Ingredients

Method

• oil, for frying
• 1 kg oxtail
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 kg ripe tomatoes, blanched and peeled
• 2 x 400 g cans chopped tomatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced
• brown sugar, to taste
• rice, for serving
• basil, to garnish (optional)

Method

Ingredients

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and brown the oxtail. Remove from the pan and fry the onions until soft.

2. Add the tomatoes and seasoning, then return the oxtail to the pan. Cook covered, over a low heat for 3 hours (or in the oven at 120°C).

3. Add the sweet potatoes and sugar and cook for 30 minutes.

4. Serve with rice and garnish with basil.

Cook's note:"I refused to eat oxtail when I was young and I really wish I had eaten more of it before leaving home, my mom’s always seems to have the perfect mix of sweet-and-savoury tomato gravy.” - Alistair Fester

This recipe is part of TASTE's "Mother Knows Best" feature (May 2016), where the TASTE team convinced their mothers to share their secret recipes.