FOOD

I get to eat some pretty tasty things here. Since I’m not exactly sure how most of these are prepared given our limited ingredients, the links for the recipes I attach may be a bit more complicated than what is cooked at the project. But, I haven’t found a dish yet that I don’t like and I’m sure given the availability of ingredients in the real world, these meals would be even more delicious. Some of these started at the KMP as weekend altas made by volunteers that everyone liked so much that they were included into the weekday options.

Roosterkoek: This one I actually know because I make it for any braii (bbq) or group dinner. Braii bread is bread dough cooked on a grill sometimes wrapped around meat like boerewors (sausage) or chicken. Here’s what I usually add, it’s pretty hard to mess it up.

Ingredients:     

• 300 g white flour
• 30 ml sunflower oil
• 1 packet of instant yeast (prepped in 2 cups of warm water with a pinch of sugar)
• 5 ml of salt

Directions:

1. Mix ingredients into dough, let rise for 1 hour
2. Twist off small fist sized balls of dough, place on grill, rotate until cooked (sounds hollow when tapping on it)

So measuring things in mls and grams is weird… we have a scale for grams but for mls just remember a shot glass is 30 mls.

Biryani: Rice with roasted vegetables and sometimes if we’re lucky, chicken

Ingredients:



• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 4 chicken thighs boneless and skinless, cut into 1″ chunks
• 1 yellow onion cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• 2 tomatoes grated
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 green bell pepper sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups basmati rice rinsed and drained

Directions:

1. Add olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides.
3. Add in the onion, and cook 4 minutes
4. Stir in garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup water.
5. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the water has evaporated, about 20 minutes
6. Add in the bell pepper, salt, cayenne, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, cumin and cinnamon, stirring well.
7. Add in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
8. Add in the basmati rice, reduce to low heat and cook (covered) for 18-20 minutes

Adapted from: https://dinnerthendessert.com/chicken-biryani/

Moussaka: Greek eggplant/potato based dish with lamb meat

Ingredients:

• 3 eggplants, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
• salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound minced lamb meat
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 egg beaten
• 4 cups milk

• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Lay the slices of eggplant on paper towels, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out the moisture. Then in a skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. Quickly fry the eggplant until browned. Set aside on paper towels to drain.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the ground lamb, salt and pepper to taste, onions, and garlic. After the lamb is browned, sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and mixed herbs. Pour in the tomato sauce and mix well. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. To make the bechamel sauce, begin by scalding the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Lower heat; gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly until it thickens. Season with salt, and white pepper.
4. Arrange a layer of eggplant in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover eggplant with all of the meat mixture. Cover with remaining eggplant, and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of cheese on top. 
5. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Adapted from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/19644/moussaka/print/?recipeType=Recipe&servings=8&isMetric=false

Chakalaka: South African spicy tomato bean relish 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1-2 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ginger minced
• 1-2 tomatoes
• 3-4 cups sliced cabbage
• 1 -2 Chili peppers diced seeds removed for less heat
• 1 large carrot grated on the large side or sliced thinly
• 1 medium green pepper diced
• 1 medium red pepper diced
• 1 14 ounce baked beans

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add onion, give it a minute or two
3. Stir in all the spices; garlic, ginger, smoked paprika, curry, cayenne pepper, thyme- continue stirring for about a minute to let the flavors bloom. Then add tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots and cabbage
4. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burns.
5. Finally add baked beans and continue cooking for about 2-3 minutes.

Taken from: https://www.africanbites.com/chakalaka/

Vetkoek: Deep fried bread roll usually served with lentil soup, chili, or butternut squash soup

Ingredients

• 6¾ cups Flour (all-purpose flour)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 packet yeast
• Lukewarm water
• Cooking oil (for frying)

Directions

How To Make The Dough

1. Mix sugar and yeast with some lukewarm water and leave to foam
2. Sift flour and salt
3. Pour yeast in flour and knead
4. Keep adding water and knead until you have a consistency like a bread dough
5. Leave the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with a cloth
6. Leave the dough to rise for about 45 – 60 minutes until it is about double its original size

How To Make The Vetkoek

1. Pour the cooking oil into a frying pan to have about 1-1½ inches of oil in the pan. Heat the oil to about 375°F
2. Divide the dough into balls about the size of a tennis ball
3. Flatten the dough until it is about 1 inch thick and about the size of your palm
4. Place two or three pieces of the flattened dough at a time into the oil. Fry each side until golden brown

Taken from: https://www.sa-austin.com/vetkoek-recipe.html

Bobotie: South African equivalent of meatloaf with curry flavoring

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds lamb mince (or wildebeest)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon hot chutney
• 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large egg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions in the hot oil until soft. Break the lamb/wildebeest into the skillet and cook until brown.
3. Stir in the raisins, apricot jam, chutney, curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour.
5. While the bobotie bakes, whisk together the reserved milk, egg, and a pinch of salt. Pour over top of the dish. Lay the bay leaf onto the top of the milk mixture.
6. Return the bobotie to the oven until the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Adapted from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/157881/best-bobotie/print/?recipeType=Recipe&servings=4&isMetric=false

Others:

Other dishes we eat are more self explanatory: Roasted butternut squash/capsicum (pepper), lentil soup, chili, chickpea burgers (a favorite), cheesy spaff (baked macaroni and cheese), pizza, stir fry, curry, and game (wildebeest) pie.

TRY ONE AND ENJOY! 🙂