Monday 10 / March / 2025
AFRICAN PEANUT STEW
Ingredients
2 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup peanut butter
5 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp chilli powder
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Fresh parsley leaves, for garnishing
Handful of roasted peanuts, for garnishing
Preparation
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onion softens.
Add bell pepper, sweet potato, and tomatoes and saute till tomatoes turn mushy.
Season the vegetables with chilli powder, salt and black pepper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and 2 cups of the vegetable broth until no lumps remain.
Stir the mixture into the vegetables along with the remaining 3 cups of broth.
Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
Stir in the chickpeas and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
Serve the stew into bowls garnished with parsley and roasted peanuts.
BOBOTIE
Ingredients
2 tbsp oil
2 large onions, roughly chopped
4 tsp curry powder
1 tsp mixed dried herbs
1 tsp cumin powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 kg ground beef
Zest and juice of one medium lemon
4 teaspoons tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large eggs
4 bay leaves
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, and cook until soft.
Add the curry powder, mixed dried herbs, cumin, turmeric and garlic, and stirring constantly, allow to cook for 2 minutes.
Add the ground beef, and cook until browned.
Once the beef is browned, remove the pan from the heat.
Add the lemon zest,the lemon juice, tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste.
Mix well.
Add the beef to an ovenproof dish.
Beat in the eggs, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Pour this over the meat, and scatter the bay leaves on top.
Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.Serve hot.
CHERMOULA CHICKEN
Ingredients
6 chicken thighs
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon ghee
For the Chermoula Sauce
1 1/2 cups fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 small cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/8 tsp chilli powder
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Preparation
Season the chicken with salt, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and pepper and keep aside.
In a blender, blend parsley, garlic and coriander leaves.
With the motor running, add in the olive oil to emulsify.
Add lemon juice and continue to blend until you have a rough paste.
Heat the ghee on medium high heat in a skillet.
Add the chicken pieces to the skillet. Let them cook until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Turn them over and cook a few minutes more.Switch off the flame and remove the chicken pieces.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Place the chicken pieces in an ovenproof dish.
Spread the chermoula sauce on both sides of the chicken thighs.
Roast the chicken in the oven for 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Serve hot.
VETKOEK
Ingredients
6 cups flour
1 small packet yeast ( 10 - 15 gms)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp sugar
1 and half tsp salt
Lukewarm water for kneading
Oil for frying
Preparation
In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder,yeast , sugar and salt
Gradually, add the water and oil and mix well to form a dough.
Knead dough for 10 minutes.
Cover with cling wrap.Set aside in a warm place for the dough to rise double its size.
Make balls and keep aside to rise in size again for another hour.
Heat oil and deep fry the balls till brown on each side. Serve hot.
