I have always believed that one of the best ways to learn about a culture is through the local cuisine.
Stuffed cabbage, often referred to as 'Oumens or oumas onder komberse', is given a healthy makeover with the addition of current 'it' grain, freekeh. Slow-baked in a light tomato sauce until the meat is succulently tender, this is comfort food with benefits. Made famous by the Cape Malay community, there are more recipes for stuffed cabbage than you can shake a stick at. Usually dotted with butter and braised in a simple stock, I've chosen to cook the cabbage parcels in a tomato sauce. The resulting pan juices are somewhere between a tangy sauce and a spoonable gravy. Meatballs have a tendency to be rather dense and so I almost always add fresh breadcrumbs to the mix. It makes all the difference. A quick word on Freekeh. This wholesome grain is gaining huge popularity amongst chefs and health-consious food enthusiasts. Freekeh wheat is harvested unripened and then roasted, a process which imparts an almost smoked nutty taste with a toothsome bite. You can choose between cracked wheat freekeh, which is not dissimilar to the texture of bulgur wheat, or a whole grain version. Either option will taste the same, although the cracked wheat combines more easily with the meat for this recipe. Buy freekeh online from TRIFC or Wellness Warehouse. For the parcels, I've used savoy cabbages. I love the graduated shades of the ruffled green leaves. You can of course use any cabbage if you can't find savoy. Blanching the leaves is essential, making them manageable and easy to roll. Once this step is out the way, it's plain sailing to wrap and roll these meaty packages. Serve the stuffed cabbage with a side of butterbean mash and warm, crusty bread.
As I have said in previous posts, bredies are an inescapable part of traditional South African cuisine and are, to many, the quintessential definition of South African huiskos (home cooking). And w…
Fatima Sydow was known for her Cape Malay-style dishes and sweet treats and won the hearts and appetites of food lovers all over South Africa.
Some great Cape Malay recipes
Cape Malay Boeber is a creamy, sweet and delicious milky beverage flavored with browned butter, cardamom and cinnamon and thickened with vermicelli and sago.
Some great Cape Malay recipes
This Cape Malay pie is traditionally served with selection of other treats, such as samoosas and dhaltjies, during Eid. It also makes a delicious everyday supper served with roasted veggies or salad
This Cape Malay Mince Frikkadel recipe yields tender juicy meatballs that are delicious served as a main course with onion and tomato smoortjie, fluffy basmati rice or thick cut chips.
Mouth watering pickled vegetable with the perfect balance of spicy, sour & sweet infused with aromatic spice paste. So appetizing & addictive.
FATIMAS CAPE MALAY KOESISTERS
If you haven't tried this deep-fried, lip-smacking quintessential Cape Malay snack, you're missing out. Try this easy dhaltjie recipe
Beef Rendang has a unique flavour, and by varying the amounts of sugar and chilies a whole range of effects can be produced. Serve Beef Rendang over...
Denningvleis, a traditional Cape Malay braised lamb dish, is a symphony of textures and flavors that is a celebration of sweet, sour and savory flavors and epitomizes the richness of South African cuisine.
Cape Malay Style Koeksisters
Bobotie is a traditional South African Dish. It's origin is unknown, although we know that the word originates from the Indonesian word bobotok of which a recipe appears in a 1609 Dutch recipe book. Initially the Cape Malay introduced it in South Africa.
Koesisters are little fried dumplings that are a Cape Malay twist on the more traditional South African pastry "Koeksister". The Cape Malay community is a vibrant ethnic group that call most of the Western Cape region of South Africa home. They are originally of Javanese descent, brought from modern-day Indonesia as indentured labourers. Their culture and ethnic traditions have left an indelible mark on present day South Africa, from the influence of curry in South African cuisine (and their trademark stamp "Bobotie" almost a national dish of SA) to the presence of Islam as one of the main religions in the area. Malay "Minstrels" performing at a Street Parade - Pic from Whalecottage.com Brightly Colored Malay houses found in the Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town (Malay Quarter) - pic from South Africa Tours and Travel.com The Koesister is a yeasted fried cake which is seasoned in spiced sugar. The little dumplings fry up beautifully and are puffy and airy within, but it is the heady scent of the spices that delicately coat it that makes it a delicious treat. Another variant without the sugar coating, known as "Fat Cakes", were sold piping hot outside our school gates and even our college "tuck shop" for cents. Some would have a jam filling or cream icing, there were certainly several ways to dress up these treats. The recipe I used comes from Chef Marcus Samuelsson's beautiful cookbook "The Soul of A New Cuisine". Instead of rolling the koesisters in brown sugar as instructed, I opted for powdered white sugar because I found the brown sugar did not "stick" to my liking. Koesisters (adapted slightly from The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa) 6 Tbsp warm water 3 Tbsp granulated sugar 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp) 2 cups All Purpose flour (plus extra flour for handling dough) 1 tsp salt 2 egg yolks 5 Tbsp milk 2 Tbsp butter For Coating: 1/4 cup icing sugar 2 tsp cinnamon powder 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cardamom For Frying: About 4 cups canola or vegetable oil Method: 1. Combine warm water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Place in a warm area for about 10 minutes. Yeast should bubble up. 2. Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture and combine. 3. Beat in egg yolks , mixing well after each addition. 4. Heat butter and milk together until butter melts. Pour butter mixture into flour mixture and mix well. Dough will be very sticky. 5. Cover bowl with damp cloth and leave for about 40 minutes. Dough should double in size. 6. Punch down dough and divide into 20 ping-pong size balls (I found the dough to be very sticky, and so I used more flour to manage this task). Arrange on a baking sheet and leave in a warm place to rise for about 20 minutes. 7. In the meantime, mix all the ingredients for the coating and keep aside. 8. Heat oil over medium heat and fry the dough balls till golden brown, should take about 3-4 minutes per koesister. Do not let the oil get too hot, else the koesisters will burn and the insides will not cook through. 9. Remove koesister from heat and roll in coating sugar. 10. Resist the urge to pop them into mouth while hot! These koesisters go to Meeta at Whats For Lunch Honey who is hosting Monthly Mingle - South Africa! These little beauties are also off to Yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wild Yeast blog.
This home made Cape Malay Pepper Steak Pie is flavorful tender steak cubes in a rich onion and mushroom gravy between layers of buttery flaky pastry.
Spice up chicken thighs in a South African curry, packed with flavourful spices and served with a side of sweet, fragrant rice
A veritable heart-attack on a plate, Malva Pudding is quite literally the definition of a dessert to die for! The very first South African dessert I learnt to make upon arrival upon these shores, i…
Daltjies are a delicious and easy to make Cape Malay appetiser, crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside.
Fancies are sponge cakes cut into squares, dipped in diluted jam and rolled in coconut. Fancies can be decorated in a variety of styles and with different toppings to suit the occasion. Fancies are…
An old Cape recipe, with a few additions and subtractions, this meal is best left for two or three days to allow the fish to absorb the flavours.
Written by Yazeed Kamaldien When Cape Town cookbook author Salwaa Smith moved to the United Kingdom 14 years ago she made sure her family would not forget the tastes of home. Surrounded by cuisine …
This distinctive and tasty authentic curry relies heavily on the special blend of spices, known as Cape Malay curry powder. Cape Malay curries are famous for their fruity and full-bodied flavours, making good use of local colourful vegetables or meat and fish, they are not as hot as the curries used in the Indian kitchen. This "secret" recipe hails from one of the steamy kitchens in the vibrant Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town; it was on a recipe sheet given to my mum from a spice shop in that wonderful area, in the 1950's. The Bo-Kaap area is a treat; the houses are painted gorgeous bright colours that won't fail to make you smile, there are always children playing in the streets and the haunting call of the muezzin will remind you of exotic destinations such as Istanbul and Cairo. And then there's the smell of spices that wafts through open doorways and comes rushing out at you as you walk past Atlas Trading, the local spice emporium. You might be just minutes from the centre of elegant and sophisticated Cape Town, but you'll feel as though you're in a different country. Serve this curry with yellow rice and a variety of sambals and atjars.
A veritable heart-attack on a plate, Malva Pudding is quite literally the definition of a dessert to die for! The very first South African dessert I learnt to make upon arrival upon these shores, i…
From Laotian to Bolivian, the international cuisines we're missing out on.
If you haven't tried this deep-fried, lip-smacking quintessential Cape Malay snack, you're missing out. Try this easy dhaltjie recipe
A spicy, slightly hot, delicious and traditional pickled fish recipe. To get the best taste from this pickled fish prepare it 2 to 3 days before serving.
Dengan Bismillah dan Salam Sejahtera, Entah.Macam dah jadi kelaziman bagi saya, kalau kering idea nak update entri dalam blog, maka say...
Koesisters are little fried dumplings that are a Cape Malay twist on the more traditional South African pastry "Koeksister". The Cape Mala...
Traditionally made with rice noodles, prawns, chicken, tofu puffs and fish balls, this Malaysian curry laksa is not a dish of subtlety. A balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy elements, popular accompaniments include Vietnamese mint and fried Asian shallots.
Denningvleis is a sweet and sour lamb recipe originating from the Cape Malay community. This South African recipe stews lamb chops with tamarind paste.
Audrey Appollis Rushda Achmat from the Black Olive Makes about 40 2 cups of cake flour 2 cups of self raising flour 1 pkt yeast 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp mixed spice 1tsp cinnamon 1tsp cardamon 1 tsp anniseed 2 eggs 1 cup of sugar 1 potato 60ml of melted butter Boil the potato and mash with the butter, add the egg and sugar to the mashed potato. Place all dry ingredients together then add potato miixture. add luke warm water to form a soft dough, allow to rise for one hour. Shape the koeksisters and fry them in hot oil. Pour over syrup and sprinkle with coconut Audrey Appollis Ek maak stroop met 1 koppie suiker, 1 koppie water, 2 kardemon peule en gooi ook 1 stok kaneel. Kook totdat dit stroperig is maar nie te taai. Jy kan meer water byvoeg sou dit te stroperig wees.
4ingredient Koeksister
