On April 27, it’s Freedom Day in South Africa, marking the years since our country’s first democratic elections in 1994.
One of the many things that make South Africa stand out from other countries is our rich and exciting, somewhat exotic cuisine.
Below are four recipes perfect for this time of the year.
1. Umleqwa (hard body chicken)
Ingredients
900ml boiling water
1 whole chicken, plucked, cleaned, and cut into 6 pieces
1 chicken stock cube
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
15ml olive oil
2 tomatoes, skin removed and chopped
2.5ml curry powder
5ml sugar
30ml tomato paste
2.5ml curry powder
5ml salt
Method
Transfer the boiling water to a saucepan and add the chicken pieces.
Add the stock cube to the chicken and cook for 45 minutes to one hour, or until it’s cooked.
In another saucepan, sauté the onion, green pepper, and garlic clove in the oil.
Add the tomatoes, curry powder, sugar, and tomato paste.
Season with salt.
Add the cooked chicken and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve with pap or dumplings.
2. BBQ rub
Ingredients
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 cup Cajun spice
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup treacle sugar
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper
Method
Combine all ingredients and apply them to the meat. Allow standing for at least 12 hours before cooking.
3. Ulusu namazambane (tripe and potato stew)
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1kg tripe, washed and cut into pieces
Water
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 onion, chopped
10ml curry powder
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Cover the tripe with water. Bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer gently for three hours. Replenish water if it goes dry.
Add potatoes, onions, spices, salt, and pepper to the tripe. Cook for a further 30 minutes until the potatoes are done.
Serve hot over Isijabane (spinach pap).
4. SA snack platter
Ingredients
Red chicken skewers
3 large red peppers, roasted in the oven until soft, then remove the skin
2 large red peppers, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp Hinds Spices paprika
½ tsp Hinds Spices crushed chillies
3 tsp Hinds Spices chicken spice
800-900g chicken, cut into bite-sized cubes
Oil
Skewers
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Combine the roasted peppers, paprika, and chicken spice in a blender with a drizzle of oil.
Marinate the chicken pieces with the red pepper mixture, then roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Place the cooked chicken on to skewers alternating with the red pepper pieces.
Green guacamole
3 large ripe avocados, peeled and cubed
1 tsp Hinds Spices mixed herbs
½ tsp Hinds Spices salt and vinegar seasoning
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the avocado, mixed herbs, salt and vinegar seasoning. Add more salt and vinegar seasoning to taste.
Black–marinated olives
1 cup or 150 g pitted black olives
1 tsp Hinds Spices mixed herbs
2 tsp crushed garlic
½ tsp Hinds Spices paprika
60 ml canola oil
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the pitted black olives, mixed herbs, crushed garlic, paprika, and canola oil.
Yellow-spiced chips
1 bag of frozen chips, deep-fried in oil or baked in an air fryer or oven
Hinds Spices chip seasoning
Method
Toss the cooked chips in Hinds chip seasoning.
White-baked feta
150g feta, cut into fingers
60ml canola oil
1 tsp Hinds Spices mixed herbs
½ tsp Hinds Spices crushed chillies
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Gently combine the feta, canola oil, mixed herbs, and crushed chillies on an oven tray, cover with foil and bake for 10 -15 minutes until the cheese is warm.
Blue cheese dip
200g blue cheese (Don’t like blue cheese? Switch the blue cheese to cream cheese, sour cream, or cottage cheese and add a dash of blue food colouring)
2-3 drops of blue food colouring
A pinch of Hinds Spices white pepper or black pepper
Method
Combine the blue cheese (or other cheese suggested), 2-3 drops of blue food colouring, and a pinch of Hinds white pepper or black pepper.
