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Dumplings and lamb stew

I just melt at the mention or even thought of this dish….it takes me back to a time….to a place…yes you guessed it right my grand mother’s kitchen back in the day…

Dumplings and lamb stew

Whether it’s prepared in winter or summer this dish is a guaranteed winner and your guests will give you the complimentary ‘oooh’s and ‘aaah’s around the dinner table.
I grew up in an environment whereby if there’s been a slaughtered cow the whole community got a notification.  This meant bringing your buckets or whatever container you could find and go collect some meat.  Take as much as you want, however, the meat had to be cooked and eaten immediately to avoid spoiling.
Stew and dumplings is one of the dishes that were chosen to prepare the meat. I remember sitting with my cousins around the fire place with the potjie simmering away.  The killer was the aroma coming out of the potjie every time the lid was opened to stir the contents.
I really don’t feel like dwelling on how good this recipe is.  It really speaks for itself.  All you need to do is to try it…just watch out for the ‘oooh’s, ‘aaah’s as well as the consequent licking of fingers!
Dumplings and Lamb Stew Recipe
Serves: 5-6
For Dumplings:
575ml (2¼ cup) cake flour
250ml (1 cup) warm water
5ml (1tsp) instant dry yeast
5ml salt
10ml (2 tsp) sugar
For Stew:
1 onion, chopped
25ml cooking oil
± 500g stewing lamb, trimmed and cubed
2 tsp (10ml) salt
4 black pepper cons
50 ml chutney
4 carrots, chopped
4-6 baby potatoes, peeled
1 stock cube
75ml split peas
2ml crushed chilli
2.5ml medium curry powder
5ml fresh parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
5m1 worcestershire sauce
Dumplings:

1. Sift all the dry ingredients into a bowl.
2. Add water and knead.  Do not add more water if it looks dry, just continue kneading until combined.
3. Cover the dough and let it rest at a warm place for about 30-45 minutes.
4. Make round balls the size of a golf ball.

Stew:

1. Heat the oil in a big saucepan, throw in the onions.
2. Add the lamb pieces stirring with a wooden spoon to lightly brown.
3. Add the spices, chutney, split peas and herbs.
4. Dissolve the stock cube in 500ml warm water and add to the stew. Simmer at low heat for 15-20 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes, carrots and neatly place the balls on top of the stew.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

Thuli’s Tips:
You can replace the lamb with mutton or beef and adjust your water and cooking times accordingly.

 

Steam Bread

Steam Bread - Upclose Image

This bread is made by steaming the dough until it’s cooked.    If I tell you it’s divine, you’ll just look at me and wonder what’s divine about steam cooked bread?  Wait until you try it. It’s a perfect example of a simple pleasure.

 I worked on the recipe December last year during the holidays with my adorable 9 year old nephew.  He was just watching in amazement, adding the ingredients and sifting them.  When we were done and the bread was cooked I cut it into slices and put some margarine on it while it was still hot.  I called my mom, sister and brother to come have a look and taste (my taste panel haha).  I can’t remember why but I disappeared from the kitchen and went to another room.  By the time I got back to the kitchen the bread was gone.
I asked what happened, my 18 year old brother calmly replied “haibo big sis, ucinga uba sizotya islice esiyi one and then sisiyeke simnandi kangaka esa sonka” which means it was impossible for them to just taste one slice and leave the rest…the bread is too nice.  The same incident happened recently in Cape Town during the shoot.  My other sister and 20 year old cousin were assisting me.  The bread was ready and the photographer just called to let me know he was outside so I needed to go and get him.
Quarter of the bread was gone….when I came back…
When I asked, they just continued chewing, saying the bread is nice.  Crazy huh?

Steam Bread - Surface Image

Steam Bread Recipe
4½ cups cake flour
500ml warm water
10ml instant dry yeast
10ml salt
20ml sugar
Method:
1.     Grease an enamel dish or bowl with butter or margarine.
2.     Sift the dry ingredients and mix them into bowl.
3.     Knead until the dough is combined and does not stick to the hands.
4.     Transfer the dough into the greased bowl.
5.     Cover it up and let rise.
6.     Add some water into a big sauce pan and put the greased bowl inside.
7.    Steam for at least an hour or until cooked.
8.    Cover the sauce pan during cooking.
9.     Serve warm or cold with veggies, soup, meat etc.
Thuli’s Tip:
The water should not get into the bowl otherwise your bread will be soggy.
 

Amagwinya / Vetkoek and Mince

Trust me when I tell you Amagwinya/vetkoek is a kasi (township) favourite for the young and the old, the drunk and the sober, the working and the unemployed…..

 

Chances are you’ll find a vetkoek shop in each and every corner.  They are sold in different forms i.e. as is (no filling), with polony, with liver or with mince.  The vetkoek shops open as early as 05:30 a.m. for workers and school kids.  Many consumers love them because they are sold fresh from the pot! In most cases you watch and wait while your vetkoek are being cooked.  It doesn’t get fresher than that.
At one stage I was obsessed with amagwinya, I just couldn’t get enough….as a result I had them every other day. I used to drive all the way to the township to buy them until I realised how much weight I was pilling on. Sadly, my love affair with the vetkoek had to come to an abrupt end.  Nonetheless, I still indulge every now and then…. trust me it would be a crime to deny myself of these yummylicious babies.  Besides healthy curves are good!

 

My cousins like to buy vetkoek with chicken liver the size of a six year old’s head in Khayelitsha!  It only costs R5.00 each …..Yep that’s right as big as it is…its only R5.00! I’m sure by now you understand why amagwinya are a kasi favourite!
Vetkoek & Mince Recipe
Makes 8 – 10 mini vetkoek and 4-5 big vetkoek
 Mince:
1 onion, chopped
15ml (1tbsp) olive oil
1 red pepper, chopped
± 300g mince, lean
6 button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
6 spinach leaves, rinsed and cut with scissors.
30ml chilli sauce
6ml salt
2.5ml (½tsp) barbecue spice
3-4 stems fresh thyme, chopped
30ml (2tbsp) chutney
2.5ml (½tsp) curry powder

1. In a saucepan heat the oil and sauté the onion until translucent. 
2. Throw in the red pepper, spinach and mushrooms.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients.

Vetkoek:
560ml cake flour
250ml 1 cup luke warm water
5ml (1tsp) instant dry yeast
5 ml (1tsp) salt
10ml (2tsb) sugar

1. Sift all the dry ingredients into a bowl
2. Add water and knead until all combined. 
3. Then cover it up and keep in a warm place and let rise (double in size). 
4. Divide into small balls, use extra flour if necessary. 
5. Prepare a tray covered with a paper towel (to absorb the oil from the vetkoek).
6. Heat the oil add the formed dough balls.  Ensure there’s space in-between the balls.
7. Once cooked transfer to the prepared tray.
8. Make a small opening on the side for the mince .
9. Spoon the mince onto the vetkoek.
10. Serve warm.

Mmm... Home sweet home

Kasi Style Street Food

Do you ever buy food from the street vendors? Or are you one of those concerned about the hygiene?

Personally growing up I used to sneer at the thought of buying, let alone eating street food.  My mom used to buy for herself while my sisters and I watched in disgust.  One day she bought fried sheep liver and we were drawn by the mouth watering aroma,  we actually wanted to taste …..maybe we were hungry.   Eversince, I never looked back……..
I recently visited Langa Township in Cape Town on a Saturday afternoon and had chats with three street vendors, MaDlamini, Mam’Msobo and Zukisa.  They are selling chops and wors; cooked & braaied mealies and braaied chicken, respectively.  Their stalls are situated around the taxi rank where the streets are buzzing  with people everywhere.  There are many of them in the same area selling  raw and cooked food.    I was thrilled by the courtesy they showed me despite their competitive work.

Mam'Msobo selling mealies

                                      

The first time I visited Mam’Msobo we spoke about how she could improve the hygiene and she was very keen on improving.  I visited again after a month and I was very happy to see that she’s made a few changes and planning to do more. 

The food sold by these vendors is very tasty and most of it has cultural relevence for an example the braaied mealies and cooked tripe.

I asked the people who say they wouldn’t buy the food why they say so.  They all say it’s a concern about the hygiene that compels them not to buy.   Some say there are usually a lot of flies around the food especially in the summer season and that puts them off.  Fair enough, the visibility of flies around food can put anyone off.  However, these vendors solely survive on the money they make from selling the food.  Families are raised, houses are built, and children are sent to school all from the money made from selling food on the streets.  The families also get involved in the business i.e. MamMsobo has her teenage son Simphiwe helping her, MaDlamini’s teenage daughter always comes to help on weekends and Zukisa was working with his teenage nephew on the day I visited. 

MaDlamini baaing chops and wors

Everyone is talking about the 25% of population that is unemployed.  Honestly, there’ll always be people that are unemployed, but what is inspirational about these food vendors is the initiative they took to make a living.  They could have been beggars on the street with cut outs reading “unemployed, I need money to feed my family” but they are not. 

Evidently,  they are getting support from the locals judging from the mere fact that they continue being commited to the business.  Perhaps they just need help on how they can improve the hygiene aspect i.e. if hygiene is the only thing putting people off.

My plea is that we support and advise the food vendors on how they can improve their business. 

What’s your opinion on street food?  Do you ever buy it?  

Zukisa braaing chicken