AFRICAN DISHES

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Cooking Jollof Rice

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African Recipe – Liberian Potato Greens

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African Mabela and Gravy

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Green Banana Chips and Tomato Salad

4 green bananas
5ml/1 tsp ground hot pepper
Salt to taste
Groundnut or vegetable oil for deep frying

Peel the banana and cut length ways. Deep-fry the banana until golden brown, drain on greaseproof paper and sprinkle with the pepper and salt. Keep warm while you prepare the salad.
Serves 3-4

Tomato Salad

3 medium fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
25g/¼ cup spring onions, finely chopped
45ml/3 tbsp groundnut oil
Juice of 1 lemon
5ml/1 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste

Put the chopped tomatoes and onion in a bowl and add the black pepper. Mix the lemon and the oil in a small bowl add to the salad. Add enough salt to taste. Serve cold with the fried bananas.
Serves 3-4

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Barbecued Mango and Pineapple

2 tablespoon Brown sugar
1 large Mango
1 tsp Sesame seeds
½ a pineapple
Barbecue sticks soaked in water

2 tablespoon Brown sugar
1 large Mango
1 tsp Sesame seeds
½ a pineapple
Barbecue sticks soaked in water

Peel the mango and the pineapple and cut into cubes, transfer the ingredients to a bowl. Mix the sesame seeds with the brown sugar in an small bowl and add this to the fruit and mix thoroughly.

Put the ingredients on barbecue sticks making sure to alternate the ingredients, until all the ingredients are on the barbecue sticks. Barbecue the fruit for 5 minutes on each side. Serve as a snack.

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Carrot and Onion soup

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African Turkey Bake! Part 1 of 2

African Turkey Bake! Part 2 of 2

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Pickled Fish

* 2 kilograms firm-fleshed white fish eg. yellowtail
* 4 large onions, sliced
* 750 milliliters vinegar
* 125 milliliters water
* 20 milligrams salt
* 125 milligrams sugar
* 40 milligrams curry powder
* 15 milligrams turmeric
* 2 milligrams cayenne pepper
* 1 piece crushed root ginger
* 10 coriander seeds
* 5 lemon or bay leaves

Clean and fillet the fish and cut it into portions. Combine all the other ingredients in a deep saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the fish and simmer for a further 20 minutes, taking care not to break the fish. Remove with a slotted spoon and layer into a glass dish. Pour the curry sauce over. Leave to cool, then cover tightly and leave to mature in the refrigerator for at least 3 days before use, but preferably longer.
Serve with brown bread and butter.

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Tomato Bredie

* 1 kilogram beef or mutton shoulder
* 2 tablespoons oil
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 teaspoons sea salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 onions — chopped
* 6 ripe red tomatoes
* 1 70 gram can tomato paste
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 3 cloves crushed garlic
* 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 chicken stock cube
* 3 potatoes — diced
* 1 tablespoon potato flour

Cube the meat. Heat the oil / butter mixture in a big, heavy-bottomed saucepan until the butter discolors.
Add the meat in batches and stir-fry until brown. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and keep aside. Season the browned meat with salt and pepper.
Brown the onions in the remaining oil. When golden, soft and glazed, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, chili, paprika, garlic, herbs, water and stock cube. Bring to a slow simmering boil.
Add the prepared meat. Simmer the bredie very slowly for 2 hours. Add the cubed potatoes and continue simmering for another 1/2 hour.
Thicken the gravy with a little potato flour mixed with water.
The bredie improves with keeping. Prepare a day in advance and leave to mature in the refrigerator.
Reheat and serve with fluffy steamed rice to which a handful of chopped parsley has been added.

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Brandy Pudding

* 250 grams stoned dates, diced
* 1 cup boiling water
* 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
* 100 grams butter, at room temperature
* 1 cup castor sugar
* 1 large egg, at room temperature
* 1 1/4 cups flour
* pinch of salt
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Sauce

* 3/4 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup water
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup brandy, sherry or orange juice

To Make Tart

Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over the dates. Pour the boiling water over the dates. Leave to cool.
Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. (in winter first rinse the mixing bowl with hot water and dry)
When the butter mixture is light and creamy, gradually beat in the egg.
Sift the dry ingredients 2 or 3 times. Alternately fold the dry ingredients and the date mixture into the creamed mixture, using a metal spoon.
Pour into a greased 25 cm pie dish or cake tin.
Bake at 180 C (350 F) for 45 minutes until dark brown and done.
Prepare the sauce and pour over the hot tart.

To Make Sauce

Bring the sugar, water and butter to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and brandy. Pour the warm sauce over the hot cake and leave to cool.

Cut the tart into equal portions.
Fill a large piping bag with 1 cup whipped fresh cream.
Pipe a large curl of cream on each serving. Add a sprinkling of chopped pecan nuts.

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Cape Curry

Meat

* 1 kilogram beef, mutton or chicken
* 1 onion — chopped
* 1 bay leaf
* 6 peppercorns — coarsely ground
* 2 cups stock or water

Curry Sauce

* 4 medium onions, chopped
* 4 tablespoons oil
* 4 cloves crushed garlic
* 1 tablespoon curry powder
* 1 tablespoon meat masala
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
* 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mixed herbs
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon turmeric
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 6 cardamom seeds, cut open
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 5 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
* 1 cup grated carrots
* 1 green pepper, diced
* juice of 1/2 a lemon
* 2 cups stock from cooked chicken or meat

To Make Meat

Simmer the chicken or meat with the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns in the water or stock until done.
Remove all skin (in the case of chicken), bone and gristle.
Cut or break the meat into finger-sized strips or cubes.
Reserve the stock.

To Make Curry Sauce

Saute the onions in the oil. When limp and golden-brown, add all the spices from garlic to the sugar. Stir fry lightly to develop the flavour. Add the vegetables, lemon juice and reserved stock and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
Add chicken or meat and bring to the boil. Then shut off the heat and allow to mature overnight (in a non-reactive container).

Reheat just before serving. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander
leaves and serve with rice and sambals.

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Coronation Chicken

* 2 young roasting chickens
* 2 cups chicken stock
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 1 carrot — peeled and chopped
* 1 bouquet garni
* 1 onion — peeled and chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 peppercorns

Curry Sauce

* 1 tablespoon oil
* 2 medium onions — finely chopped
* 3 teaspoons curry powder
* 2 tablespoons tomato puree
* 1/2 cup dry red wine
* 1 cup reserved chicken stock
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* salt and pinch of cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon apricot jam
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1/2 cup whipped cream

To Make Chicken

Place the chicken, chicken stock wine, carrot , bouquet garni, onion, salt and peppercorns ina roasting pan, cover with wet grease-proof paper and poach in the oven at 180 C (350 F) for about 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Allow chicken to cool in the liquid.
Joint the birds and carefully remove bones and skin. Break the meat into good bite size pieces and keep aside in a mixing bowl.
Return the skin and bones to the pan, add 1 cup water and bring to the boil to extract all the flavour. Strain and use stock to make the sauce.

To Make Sauce

Heat the oil, add the onion and saute gently for 3-4 minutes. Add the curry powder. Saute for another 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, wine, stock and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, add lemon rind, lemon juice, salt, pepper and apricot jam. Simmer with the pan uncovered for 10 minutes. Strain and cool. Gradually add the cool sauce to the mayonnaise.
Fold the whipped cream lightly into the sauce. Pour 2/3 of the sauce over the chicken in the mixing bowl and refrigerate both the chicken and the remaining sauce until required.
Arrange the chicken on a serving platter and top with the remaining sauce. Serve with a rice salad (rice, green peas, chopped tomato and diced cucumber in a French dressing)

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Frikkadels

* 750 grams minced beef
* 45 milligrams butter
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 thick slice white bread
* 2 large eggs
* 5 milligrams salt
* 1 milligram ground pepper
* 1 milligram ground allspice

Heat 15 ml of the butter in a large frying pan and saute the onion in it for about 5 minutes. Soak the bread in a little water and squeeze dry, then mash with a fork. Combine the onion with the mince, bread, eggs, salt, pepper and allspice and shape into balls. Heat the remaining butter, margarine or oil in the frying pan and brown the frikkadels, a few at a time for about 5 minutes on one side. Turn them over and brown the other side, then turn down the heat slightly and continue cooking the frikkadels for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
Serve hot with mashed potatoes and an onion and tomato sauce (train smash)

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Peri-Peri Chicken

* 500 grams chicken tenderloins
* seasoned flour
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 3 cloves crushed garlic
* 3 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander leaves or parsley
* 2 teaspoons chicken stock powder
* 1/2 red chile — sliced
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 kilogram baby potatoes — parboil and quarter
* Peri-Peri basting sauce

Sprinkle the chicken with the seasoned flour. Mix together the oil, garlic, coriander or parsley, dry chicken-stock powder, chili and lemon juice to make a paste. Toss the chicken into the mixture to coat. Stir fry in a hot frying pan in the olive oil for 5-8 minutes until the chicken is just cooked. Add the potatoes and peri-peri sauce and warm through. Serve with extra peri-peri sauce, Portuguese rolls and fresh sambal salads, e.g. chopped onion, cubed avocado, diced cucumber, cubed tomato, cubed pineapple etc.

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Peri-Peri Chicken Livers

* 1 large onion — chopped
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or peri-peri powder
* 250 grams chicken livers, cleaned and halved
* 1 tablespoon brandy
* salt and pepper

Saute the onion in the oil. Add the cayenne pepper or peri-peri. Add the chicken livers and stir-fry over high heat until just cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Add the brandy to deglaze the pan.
Slice soft fresh rolls in half and open butterfly-style. Butter lightly and spoon the liver onto the rolls.
Serve with a fresh green salad dressed with a tangy garlic dressing.

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Boerewors

The self sufficient South African farming community wasted nothing. When a beast was slaughtered in winter, all parts were used, including the trotters which were used for making brawn, and the intestines which were used as casings for home-made sausage. Every farmer’s wife prided herself on her own special recipe for making sausage. The fillings ranged from beef and mutton to game meat or even game offal encased in game intestines and called Skilpad and Pofadder.

* 1.5 kg beef
* 1.5 kg pork
* 500 g bacon, diced
* 25 ml salt
* 5 ml ground pepper
* 50 ml ground coriander
* 2 ml freshly grated nutmeg
* 1ml ground cloves
* 2 ml ground dried thyme
* 2 ml ground allspice
* 125 ml red wine vinegar
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 50 ml Worcestershire sauce
* 85 g sausage casings

Cut the beef and pork meat into 1.5 ” cubes and mix it with all the other ingredients except the sausage casings. Grind the meat using a medium-course grinding plate. Fill the sausage casings firmly but not too tightly with the meat mixture.

Can be fried, grilled or barbecued over coals.

Makes 3.5 kg

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Droewors

This is also a very traditional South African sausage and is made much the same way as boerewors, except that pork and pork fat are not used (pork fat tends to go rancid). Saltpetre is sometimes added as a preservative but will give the meat a reddish color, instead of the more traditional dark black color.

To improve the flavor, droewors may be smoked after a day of hanging, then retuned to continue the drying process. Droewors and smoked droewors can be frozen for up to two months in an airtight container.

Farm-Style Droewors (Makes about 4 kg’s)

* 4.5 kg beef (Use shoulder or chuck)
* 2.5 kg fatty mutton (Use breast or shoulder)
* 15 ml ground cloves
* 15 ml grated nutmeg
* 12 g whole coriander
* 90 g fine salt
* 15 ml brown sugar
* 400 ml vinegar
* 90 g mutton sausage casings

Traditional Droewors (Makes about 3 kg’s)

* 4.5 kg beef (Use shoulder or chuck) or mutton (Use breast or shoulder)
* 1 kg sheep’s tail fat
* 5 ml ground cloves
* 20 g whole coriander
* 34 g fine salt
* 10 ml freshly ground black pepper
* 90 g mutton casings

Place the coriander seeds in a dry frying pan and heat, stirring constantly until they become light brown. Remove them to a coffee grinder or pestle and mortar and crush the coriander seeds. Pass the crushed seeds through a sieve to remove the husks.
Cut the meat inot 50 mm cubes, and mix together with all ingredients except the vinegar and casings. Mince the meat using a grinder with a coarse blade. Sprinkle the vinegar over the minced meat mixture and mix lightly (If you work too much with the meat, it will lose the coarse consistency)
Prepare the casings and stuff the mixture loosely into them.
Dip the sausages in a mixture of 4.5 litres boiling water and 350 ml vinegar, then hang them over wooden rods that are thick enough in diameter to prevent the inner surfaces of the sausage from touching.
Dry the sausage in a cook draughty place for 24 hours, then remove the sausage and flatten by rolling across a cutting board, so that any pockets of air in the sausage or between the sausage and the casing are removed. (These air pockets can cause mould to set in when the sausage is drying). Put the sausage back over the wooden rods and continue to dry to your taste. This will normally take about 2 weeks.

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Biltong

Biltong is South African dried meat. The word comes from Dutch with BIL meaning buttock and TONG meaning strip. Biltong has been around for centuries; for instance, a more primitive form, the Dutch tassal, was also prepared in certain areas of France during the late Middle Ages. Tassal was also made in Batavia, and made its way to South Africa with the Dutch settlers where it was adapted to the less pungent biltong.

* 12.5 kg beef (top round or sirloin or London broil or eye of round)
* 560 g fine salt
* 125 ml brown sugar
* 25 ml bicarbonate of soda
* 10 ml salpetre (optional)
* 12.5 ml ground black pepper
* 125 ml coarsely ground coriander
* 250 ml red wine vinegar
* 2.5 liters warm water

Cut the meat along the natural dividing lines of the muscles of the particular piece of meat you have chosen. Cut the meat into strips of about 2 ” thick and as long as you like, always cutting the meat with the grain.

Mix the salt, sugar, bicarbonate of soda (this makes the biltong tender), saltpeter, pepper and coriander together and rub the mixture into the strips of meat.

Layer the meat – with the more bulky pieces at the bottom – in a non-reactive container and sprinkle a little vinegar over each layer.

Leave the meat in a cool place for 12 hours or more, depending on how salty you want the meat to be (you may need to experiment a little until you find the right time to let the meat ‘marinade’.

Mix the water and vinegar and dip the biltong into it (this makes it shiny and dark). Once this is complete, the meat is ready to dry. Pat the pieces of meat dry and hang them up on S-shaped hooks – or use pieces of string – about 2 ” apart (so that the air can circulate freely among the strips of meat). There are many theories on how to dry biltong. Probably the most popular is to hang it in a cool, dry place with an oscillating fan blowing on it. It is very important that the air is dry. If there is too much moisture in the air, the meat will spoil.

The biltong is ready when the outside is hard, and the center part of the biltong strip is still a little moist. How dry or moist you allow the center to become is a matter of personal taste.

Makes about 10 Kg

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Bobotie

* 2 tablespoons oil
* 1/2 tablespoon butter
* 500 grams mince (combination of beef and lamb)
* 2 onions — chopped
* 2 cloves crushed garlic
* 1 cup grated carrot or apple

Spices

* 2 teaspoons curry powder1 teaspoon coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs
* 1 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* pinch red chili powder or cayenne pepper

Seasonings

* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper1 tablespoon wine vinegar
* 2 slices white bread
* 2 bay or lemon leaves

Topping

* 1 cup sour cream or 1/2 cream + 1/2 yoghurt
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* pinch pepper
* 2 eggs

Stir-fry the mince in the oil and butter until loose and crumbly, using a fork. Add the chopped onion and stir-fryuntil limp and glazed. Add the garlic, grated carrot and spices. Continue cooking very briefly to develop all flavours.Season with salt, pepper and wine vinegar or lemon juice to taste. Soak white bread in water, lightly squeeze out water and mash with a fork, then add to mixture.
Spread the mixture into a flat ovenproof dish. Tuck the bay or lemon leaves into the mixture.
Beat together all the ingredients for the topping with a fork.
Pour the topping over the bobotie and bake uncovered at 190 C (375 F) for 35 minutes until the custard topping is firm and golden-brown.
Serve with yellow rice, chutney, sliced bananas and a diced tomato and onion sambal.

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Chicken Pie

* 1 – 5-6 pound chicken
* 1/2 teaspoon mixed pickling spices
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 2 medium onions, peeled, halved
* 4 carrots, peeled, halved
* 2 ounces butter
* 6 tablespoons flour
* 1/4 cup white wine
* Salt, pepper
* 2 egg yolks
* 4 tablespoons lemon juice
* 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
* 4 ounces Danish ham, sliced thinly
* Pie crust dough
* 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

In a stewpot, place the chicken, spices, salt, onions, and carrots, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Strain the broth and reserve. Cut the chicken up into bite-sized pieces. Slice the carrots and reserve.

In a saucepan, heat the butter over moderate heat. Add flour and stir well, forming a roux. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, then add 3 cups of the reserved chicken broth, the wine, salt and pepper. Stir until thickened slightly. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and lemon juice together until frothy, then add to the sauce. Beat well, and continue cooking until sauce thickens more. Remove from the heat. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a 4 quart deep-dish baking pan, place the chicken uniformly on the bottom. Arrange the hard-boiled egg slices on top of the chicken, and then top with the ham slices. Spread the reserved carrot slices, then cover with the sauce.

Roll out the pie crust, and lay it over the baking dish. Press along the edge firmly and trim excess. Score in several places to allow steam to escape. Brush dough with egg. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake 30 minutes longer. Crust should be golden brown.

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Sosaties

* 2 pounds lamb, cut into 1″ pieces
* 1 pound pork, cut into 1/2″ cubes
* 1 garlic clove, peeled
* Salt, pepper
* 4 tablespoons oil
* 1 cup onions, chopped
* 1 tablespoon curry powder
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
* 2 cups white vinegar
* 2 tablespoons apricot jam
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in
* 2 tablespoons red wine
* 1/2 pound dried apricots
* 1/2 cup dry sherry

Place the lamb and pork pieces in a large bowl that has been rubbed with the clove of garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and toss.

In a saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes, then add the curry powder and garlic. Sauté for another minute. Add the sugar, tamarind paste, vinegar, and jam and stir well. Stir the cornstarch mixture and add it to the onions, and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. This should take about 3 minutes. Cool, then add to the meat and toss well. Marinate for 2-3 days.

One day before preparing the sosaties, combine the dried apricots and sherry in a small bowl, cover, and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain meat from sauce and reserve. Thread lamb, pork, and apricots on skewers. Grill over charcoal until browned on all sides. Serve with heated marinating sauce.

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Meat Marinade

(This is great for marinating and basting lamb on the braai, cooked and used as a sauce for hamburgers or used to casserole a whole leg of lamb in the oven.

* 2 huge onions, chopped
* 1 huge clove of garlic, crushed
* 15 ml oil
* 250 ml beef broth
* 125 ml wine vinegar (white for mutton, red for steak)
* 250 ml tomato ketchup
* 15 ml Worcestershire sauce
* 5 ml salt
* 2 ml Tabasco sauce
* 15 ml brown sugar
* 1 ml ground cloves
* 1 ml ground ginger
* 30 ml fruit chutney
* 30 ml dark brown sherry (optional)
* 125 ml milk

Mix all ingredients and use as marinade.

If used for sauce over hamburger patties, sauté the onions and garlic before putting them into the marinade and mixing. Heat up the sauce before serving it with the burgers.

If used as a marinade, allow meat to stand in marinade overnight. Remove just before braaing

If used to make a leg of lamb in the oven. Put a leg of lamb into a casserole dish or Dutch oven and pour the marinade over it. Bake in the marinade until the meat is tender and done.

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Crayfish Salad

* 8 – 3 ounce crayfish tails (Use rock lobster if in the USA)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 cup celery, cut into 1/2″ dice
* 1/2 cup honeydew melon, cut into 1/2″ dice
* Lettuce, for presentation
* Lemon wedges

Bring water to boil in a large stewpot. Add lobster tails, salt, and lemon. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain and cool.

Cut around the edge of the underneath side of the shell and remove the meat. Cut into 1/2″ pieces. Place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the curry powder, paprika, and ginger. Add the mayonnaise to the lobster, and add the celery and melon. Combine gently. To serve, place lobster mixture on bed of lettuce, along with lemon wedges.

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Melon Salad

* 1 cup sugar
* 1-1/2 cups water or fruit juice
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons vinegar
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 4 Spanspek (Use cantaloupes if in the USA)
* 1/4 watermelon
* Salt, pepper
* 2 tablespoons muscadel or port
* Mint, for serving

In a small saucepan, place the sugar, water, lemon juice, vinegar, and ginger. Heat to a boiling, stirring well. Continue boiling for about 5 minutes, then strain syrup through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl. Cool.

Meanwhile, de-seed the cantaloupes and watermelon. Using a melon baller, collect balls and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then sprinkle on the muscatel. Toss gently. Pour syrup over melon balls and refrigerate for several hours before serving. To serve, decorate with mint sprig.

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Yellow Rice with Raisins

* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 1 cup raisins
* 1 teaspoon lemon rind
* 2 cups white rice

In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the first 7 ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rice, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and lemon rind before serving.

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Mielie Pap with Train Smash

Mielie Pap:

* 500 ml water
* 3 ml salt
* 700 ml maize meal

Bring the water to the boil. Slowly add the maize meal until it forms a pyramid in the middle of the saucepan . Put on the lid and allow to simmer until a “skin” has formed around the maize meal. Stir with a fork till fine and crumbly. Put the lid back on and simmer over LOW heat until done. Stir occasionally to break the lumps, about 30 – 40 minutes.

Train Smash:

Sauté 3 chopped onions and 2 – 3 chopped fresh tomatoes till tender and add the following:

* 1 c (250 ml) tomato sauce
* 80 ml vinegar
* 80 ml Worcestershire sauce
* 30 ml sugar
* 125 ml (half a cup) water
* 2,5 ml (half a teaspoon) dry mustard powder
* salt and pepper to taste

Cook for about 2 minutes and thicken with cornflour mixed to a soft paste with cold water.

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Mielie Bread

* 2 cups biscuit mix
* 1 cup creamed corn
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup whole milk
* 2 ounces butter, melted

In a large bowl, place the biscuit mix, creamed corn, and sugar. Add the egg and milk, and

stir just until combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9″ baking pan. Place mieliemeal mixture into the

pan, and coat with the melted butter. Bake for 20 minutes.

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Braaied Tomato, Onion and Cheese breads

Butter bread on both sides.
Spread fruit chutney on the inside of two slices, then make sandwiches with sliced tomato, onion and sharp cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fasten a piece of string around the sandwich like
you would do with a parcel (this is to keep the slices of onion and tomato from falling out) – If you have a braai basket or a rooster you can also use it to hold the sandwiches together. Toast the sandwiches over medium-low coals on the braai until lightly browned on each side, and the cheese has melted.
Remove the string before serving.

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Soetkoekies

* 2 cups flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 4 ounces chopped almonds
* 1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/4 cup port or sherry
* 1 egg white, beaten

Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, brown sugar, and almonds in a large bowl. Add the butter and cut into the flour mixture. Add the beaten eggs and red wine and mix dough together vigorously until it can be formed into a ball.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rough circle about 1/4″ thick. With a cookie cutter, cut the dough into 2″ rounds. Arrange the rounds about 1″ apart on a buttered cookie sheet. Continue cutting cookies, then brush each gently with the egg white. Bake for 15 minutes – until golden brown. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

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Koeksisters

The secret of the crisp syrupy outside of koeksisters is that they are taken straight from hot oil and dipped into ice-cold syrup. This seals the syrup outside and leaves the inside dryish in contrast.

To make the syrup, mix a liter of sugar, 5 ml cream of tartar, 2.5 ml tartaric acid and 5 ml vanilla essence or grated orange rind or cinnamon, or 1.5 ml ginger with 500 ml of water. Bring mixture to the boil and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes or until syrupy. Set syrup aside to cool. It is advisable to make the syrup first and leave it overnight in the fridge.

To make the batter, sift 500 ml flour, 10 ml baking powder and 5 ml salt into a mixing bowl. Cut or rub 70 ml of margarine or butter into the dry ingredients. Beat an egg thoroughly and add it to 80 ml of milk. Add the egg and milk to the flour mixture, handling as little as possible. Put the dough in the fridge for at least one hour. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 4 mm. Cut into strips about 8 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Cut each strip into three lengthwise, leaving one side uncut. Now plait the three pieces and press ends together firmly.

Pre-heat a deep pan and remove syrup from the fridge. The hot fried koeksisters must be dropped into the cold syrup. The syrup will warm up about halfway through, so divide the syrup into two bowls. Deep-fry koeksisters until golden brown, drain for a few seconds on absorbent paper and dip into cold syrup.

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Koeksisters

The secret of the crisp syrupy outside of koeksisters is that they are taken straight from hot oil and dipped into ice-cold syrup. This seals the syrup outside and leaves the inside dryish in contrast.

To make the syrup, mix a liter of sugar, 5 ml cream of tartar, 2.5 ml tartaric acid and 5 ml vanilla essence or grated orange rind or cinnamon, or 1.5 ml ginger with 500 ml of water. Bring mixture to the boil and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes or until syrupy. Set syrup aside to cool. It is advisable to make the syrup first and leave it overnight in the fridge.

To make the batter, sift 500 ml flour, 10 ml baking powder and 5 ml salt into a mixing bowl. Cut or rub 70 ml of margarine or butter into the dry ingredients. Beat an egg thoroughly and add it to 80 ml of milk. Add the egg and milk to the flour mixture, handling as little as possible. Put the dough in the fridge for at least one hour. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 4 mm. Cut into strips about 8 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Cut each strip into three lengthwise, leaving one side uncut. Now plait the three pieces and press ends together firmly.

Pre-heat a deep pan and remove syrup from the fridge. The hot fried koeksisters must be dropped into the cold syrup. The syrup will warm up about halfway through, so divide the syrup into two bowls. Deep-fry koeksisters until golden brown, drain for a few seconds on absorbent paper and dip into cold syrup.

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Rusks

* 2 cups unbleached white flour
* 2 cups whole wheat bread flour (coarsely ground if possible)
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/2 cup melted butter
* 2 eggs
* 3/4 cup buttermilk
* 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
* 2 tsp. pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the dry ingredients. Combine all the wet ingredients, pour them into the dry ingredients, and stir until you have a soft dough, similar to biscuit dough. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and roll or pat it to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the dough into rectangles about 2 by 4 inches. Bake the rusks about 2 inches apart on buttered baking sheet for about 25 minutes until the tops are crisping and browning a little. Now, eat a few “soft” rusks warm from the oven. Loosely pile the rusks on a baking sheet and keep them in a 200 degree oven all day or all night (about 12 hours) to dry. The finished rusks should be very dry and hard. Cool and store in an airtight container. Rusks will keep for weeks.

Variations

Oatmeal-Raisin Rusks: Reduce the white flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 2 cups rolled oats and 1/2 cup currants or chopped raisins.

Almond Rusks: Add 1 cup chopped almonds and omit the cinnamon.

Peanut Rusks: Add 1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts.

Anise Rusks: Omit the cinnamon and almond extract and add 2 tsp. pure anise extract or 1 Tbsp. anisette.

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Pumpkin Fritters

* 4 cups cooked pumpkin, mashed
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup flour
* pinch of salt
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 30 ml (2 tablespoons) heaped of sugar

Combine all ingredients, making a soft batter and fry spoonfuls in shallow oil till both sides are lightly browned. Drain on paper and serve warm with cinnamon sugar or caramel sauce.

Cinnamon Sugar:

Take one ounce of ground cinnamon and mix with 6 ounces of sugar. Sprinkle over pancakes to taste.

Caramel Sauce:

* 250 ml sugar
* 500 ml water
* 500 ml milk
* 30 ml margarine
* 20 ml cornstarch mixed to a paste with water

Cook together and add one teaspoon caramel essence before serving over pumpkin fritters.

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Souskluitjies

* 120 g cake flour
* 10 ml baking powder
* 2 ml salt
* 15 g butter
* 1 egg
* 125 ml milk
* butter and cinnamon sugar to serve

Sift the dry ingredients together and mix in the butter with vinegar’s until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix egg and milk and add to above. Boil water (must be about 3 cm deep) with a pinch of salt in a casserole with a lid. Use a teaspoon dipped in boiling water to put spoonfuls of the dough into the boiling water. Cover with tight fitting lid and cook slowly for 10 minutes (Don’t peek, as this will cause the dumplings to “fall down” and become rubbery) Remove from heat, pour into a serving bowl and put dots of butter on top. Sprinkle a lot of cinnamon sugar over and serve with vanilla custard.

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Dried Fruit Chutney

* 1-1/2 cups dried apricots, coarsely chopped
* 1-1/2 cups dried peaches, coarsely chopped
* 1-1/2 cups dates, finely chopped
* 1-1/2 cups raisins
* 2 cups chopped onions
* 1-1/2 cups malt vinegar
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon mustard seeds, crushed and ground
* 1 tablespoon ground ginger
* 1 tablespoon ground coriander
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon salt

In a large enameled saucepan, combine the all of the ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for about 1 hour. Chutney should be thick enough to hold it’s own shape.