Olive oil
Oil extracted from olive fruit serves as cooking fat, flavouring and, in some cheese methods, an exterior treatment. Grade, cultivar, processing and storage shape its character.
Traditional method
Tomato and onion smoor
Smoor
A thick South African tomato-and-onion relish simmered slowly and served warm with boerewors, pap or bread.
A slow-cooked relish
A thick South African tomato-and-onion relish simmered slowly and served warm with boerewors, pap or bread.
Published sources document contemporary smoor recipes and pairings; they do not establish a first-use date.
Smoor is cooked to a spoonable texture for immediate serving. The cited recipe does not provide a tested preservation method.
Sources for this section
History
Published sources document contemporary smoor recipes and pairings; they do not establish a first-use date.
Ingredients
Yield 6 servings · Scaling: source batch only
OnionsFinely chop.
2
GarlicCrush.
15 mL1 tbsp as recorded
Olive oilWarm in a saucepan.
59 mL4 tbsp as recorded
Canned whole peeled tomatoesDrain; keep the tomatoes whole or roughly break them up.
800 g
One 800 g can.Tomato pasteStir in with the tomatoes.
70 g
SugarStart with half of the source's amount and adjust to taste.
15 mL1 tbsp as recorded
The News24 version uses 2 tbsp.WaterAdd after the initial simmer.
473 mL2 cup as recorded
SaltSeason to taste.
Amount not stated
Method
Risks and precautions · Standard risk
Homemade cooked smoor treated as shelf-stable
A cooked tomato relish with no validated acidity, water activity or canning process is perishable.
Hazard sourceRefrigerate leftovers promptly and follow chilled-food guidance
Control sourceThis saucepan relish is not a canning recipe and is not shelf-stable.
- Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and crushed garlic; cook until soft and golden, stirring so the garlic does not scorch.
- Add the drained tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Stir and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Pour in the water and simmer gently for at least 30 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are tender and the smoor is thick and spoonable.
- Season to taste. Begin with less sugar than the published version, then adjust gradually because tomato acidity varies.
- Serve warm as a relish with fully cooked boerewors, pap or bread. This is a cooked sauce, not a shelf-stable preserve; refrigerate leftovers promptly.
Conditions
Yield6 servings
Active time15 min
Places
South Africa
Documented preparation · Country evidenceCountry-level documentation only; not a claim of exclusive origin.
Related
Made from
Onion
The onion is the bulb of Allium cepa, built from swollen leaf bases, and is eaten raw, cooked, pickled and as a seasoning in ferments. It is known only from cultivation and probably began in Central Asia.
Sugar
Sugar is a family of sweeteners with different forms and food roles; refined white sucrose may come from cane or beet, while less refined forms add other flavours and moisture.
Water
Water carries dissolved ingredients, transfers heat and forms the liquid environment of many ferments; its minerals and treatment influence how it behaves.
What to make with it
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Sources
News24Method · History
The ultimate smoor recipe, best served with worsPublished recipe uses two onions, garlic, olive oil, canned whole tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and water; simmer to thick sauce and serve with wors.
The article documents a contemporary pairing and does not establish an origin date.
Cited in: A slow-cooked relish
Drum/News24Inspiration
Tomato smoorA published tomato-smoor variation includes onion, curry powder, paprika, canned tomatoes, water, stock cube and tomato paste, served with grilled boerewors rolls.
Cited in: A slow-cooked relish
Food Standards AgencySafety
Cooking your foodFood centre should reach 70°C for 2 minutes or equivalent listed combinations including 75°C for 30 seconds; use a clean thermometer.
Cited in: A slow-cooked relish
Food Standards AgencySafety
Safe chilling and refrigerated storageCooked leftovers should be cooled promptly and kept chilled; ordinary home cooking does not establish a shelf-stable product.