Last week we celebrated Heritage Day, aka Braai Day, and after all those yummy braai recipes, we now end off Heritage Month with a few of South Africa’s most loved dishes.
When I think of heritage, I think of our people, each of them contributing so much of their own beauty by staying true to our name, The Rainbow Nation, people, families, generations, traditions, and cultures, brought together by the strong bond by love.
This reminds me of the concept of ubuntu which means “I am, because we are” and there is so much strength in this statement.
As a diverse group of people, South Africans are all the same, yet different and we embrace being different as our strength.
Food brings us together and the most precious memories are made around the table.
In honour of Heritage Month, some families celebrate with their favourite cultural or traditional meals, but others look forward to experimenting and trying food from different cultures.
This can go a long way to bring a sense of appreciation and love for the diverse communities and cultures around us.
It’s so amazing that we all have the same spices, veg, herbs and protein but each culture has its own way of preparing these dishes.
Firm favourites are kos like frikkadel, sosaties, breyani, potjiekos, bredies, Cape Malay curries, samp and beans, bokkoms, biltong, bunny chows, boerewors, milk tart, malva pudding or peppermint tart, just to name a few.
This week I am sharing some of my favourite heritage foods and South Africa’s most loved recipes for you to enjoy.
Happy cooking and baking.
Love your Cooksister
Recipes
Bean Mini Bunny Chows
Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
3 tablespoons Butter
1 onion finely diced
3 potatoes (peeled and cut in half)
2 tsp fresh garlic and ginger
2½ tsp fine cumin
2 tsp fine fennel
½ tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
2-3 grated tomatoes
2 tins butter beans (drained)
Fresh coriander for garnish
6 rolls or mini loaves
Method
Braise the onion in butter until golden brown.
Add the garlic and ginger, spices and braise for 1 minute.
Add 2 cups water, the potatoes, tomato and cook on a low heat for half hour.
*Always ensure you have enough water in the pot and the curry does not dry out, add little bits of water at a time.
Once the potato is soft and the curry has thickened, add in 2 tins of drained and washed butter beans.
Cook for 5 minutes on a low heat.
Fill a roll or a mini loaf until its drenched in curry,
Garnish with fresh coriander and chillies.
Lamb Curry
Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
1 kg lamb pieces to be marinated with…
1 heaped tablespoon garlic and ginger
3 tablespoons double cream yogurt
2 tablespoons brown vinegar
1 heaped tablespoon brown sugar
50g tomato paste
2 ½ teaspoon barishap (fennel)
2 teaspoons jeera (cumin)
¾ teaspoon koljana (coriander)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
Salt to taste (1 used 2 teaspoons)
Additional Ingredients
(Not used in marinade)
2 tablespoons butter
1 finely chopped onion
3 large tomatoes (grated)
4 large potatoes cut in small cubes
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup chopped fresh coriander
3 cups + 1 cup water
Method
Marinate the lamb for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Over a medium heat braise the onion in butter until golden brown.
Add the marinated lamb and braise until slightly browned.
Add in the grated tomato, 3 cups water, cover with then lid and simmer on a medium to low heat for 45 minutes.
(Ensure there's enough water and add little bits of water at a time, if needed)
After 1 hour, add the potatoes, peas, chopped coriander and 1 cup water and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potato is soft.
Chicken Breyani
Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Prep for breyani
*Soak 1 cup Lentils in boiling water overnight.
In the morning rinse and add to the rice.
*Par boil 3 cups rice with the pre-soaked lentils, 3 cups water, ½ teaspoon turmeric and 3 level teaspoons salt.
Once water is cooked away, rinse the rice under cold water and set aside.
*Chop 5 onions in half then in slices and fry in oil until golden brown. Allow to cool and drain on roller towel and set aside.
*Fry 5 potatoes sliced in half in water and ½ teaspoon turmeric until soft. Allow to cool and set aside.
*Boil 6 eggs, peel, cool and set aside
*Marinade the chicken
Ingredients for the marinade
2 onions finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter and a dash of oil
Marinade 1-2kg chicken pieces in
1 heaped tablespoon ginger garlic and green chilli
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons fine cumin
1 fine coriander
1 teaspoon red tandoori spice
1 teaspoon garam masala
4 medium grated tomatoes (must be grated)
1 small sachet tomato paste
2 cups double cream yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1 green pepper diced
1 cup chopped Fresh coriander
Method for the marinade masala
Braise the onions in butter until its golden brown
Add the marinated chicken
Cook the chicken on a medium to low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To assemble
In an ovensafe dish add ¾ of the rice, potatoes, eggs, some fried onions and half of the masala. Add the chicken and sprinkle over the remaining rice, onions and the rest of the masala.
If you cooked the chicken on a higher heat and you have less masala sprinkle over a cup of water.
Cover with a double layer foil and cook on 180degrees for 45 minutes.
Milk Tart
Recipe Credit – Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients for the base
250g soft butter (not melted)
125g sifted icing sugar
2 eggs
2 heaped cups flour
Method for the base
Cream the eggs, soft butter and sifted icing sugar until smooth.
Fold in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a soft dough.
(If the dough is too sticky, the butter was too soft, add an extra ½ cup flour)
Press into a large black oven tray, ensuring you form a crust over the sides.
Pop in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Ingredients for the milk custard
8 large eggs (you can use 7 if you prefer it less firm)
2 tablespoons custard powder
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons vanilla essence
1 Tin Condensed Milk
1¼ cups cold milk
1 cup cold water
3 tablespoons soft butter (cut in 12 small pieces)
Fine Cinnamon for dusting
Method for the milk custard
In mixer whisk the eggs, custard, salt, vanilla essence and condensed milk until smooth.
Add in the milk and water and whisk until well combined.
Lastly add the pieces of butter.
Pour over the chilled base and dust with cinnamon.
Bake on 180degrees for 50 minutes on the lower part of the oven. (Do not preheat the oven)
Once the custard starts to expand and bubble, it's done.
Koeksister (yeast free)
Recipe Credit – Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
1 tablespoon soft butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups cake flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon fine dried naartjie peel
1 tablespoon whole aniseed
Pinch fine cardamon
Method
Mix you flour, baking powder and all the spices in a bowl.
Mix with a knife until well combined.
Rub the butter into the dry ingredients.
Add the buttermilk and mix until a soft dough is formed. (Do not knead)
Cover the dough with cling and rest for 1-2 hours. (Do not refrigerate)
After dough has rested, transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface and rub some oil on your hands
(This prevents the dough to stick to your hands)
Take about 2 heaped tablespoon sized dough and roll into a koeksister shape.
Deep fry on a medium heat until golden brown.
Drain on roller towel and dip the koeksister in hot syrup and Sprinkle on some coconut.
For the Syrup
2½ cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
Bring to boil and allow to simmer over low heat until syrup is slightly thick.
Bread Pudding
Recipe Credit – Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
Add all ingredients to your blender
6 slices of bread
4 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup sugar
750ml full cream milk
3 heaped tablespoon custard
¼ cup coconut
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
½ teaspoon fine cinnamon
Pinch of elachi and/or nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Method
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth
Spray a medium rectangle pyrex dish with spray and cook and pour in your mixture.
Bake on 180 degrees on the lower rack of the oven for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and a slightly cracked crust is formed.
Once done, remove from the oven and brush over apricot jam.
Turn off the oven but return the pudding to the warm oven to rest and settle for 20 minutes.