Heritage Day : Recipes for Potjie, Roosterkoek, and Amarula Marshmallows

On September 24th we set aside the day to celebrate our rich and cultural heritage, and to revel in the diversity of our nation. It’s a day where we showcase our traditions, marvel at our colourful background, appreciate our variety of languages and take pride in our heritage. Our country is littered with stories of turbulence and struggle; but despite the hardships we persevere.  The one thing all South African’s have is passion, “gees”…and a love of food! Today we’re going to share a part of our foodie culture with you and furnish our fans with a few traditional secret braai recipes (you’re welcome).  We’re also in the midst of the Rugby World Cup, so while you’re salivating over our recipes, let’s give a massive shout out to the Bokke. Play lekker out there.

Heritage Day is a day where we showcase our traditions, marvel at our colourful background, appreciate our variety of languages and take pride in our heritage. Heritage Day means something different for everyone but generally incorporates family time, shared meals, indulging in cultural celebrations or simply getting back to nature. Plenty of South Africans choose to braai on Heritage Day, and the day has affectionately been referred to as “braai day”. South Africans love the sizzle and pop of a wood fire!

Today we’re sharing 3 of our favourite braai recipes. Starters, main course and dessert were cooked with flair and flavour. In true South African style, our team cooked these meals on an open wood fire – after all, it is “Braai Day”. There’s no specific time frame when cooking – you just need the right ingredients and continuous taste- testing to see if it tickles the tastebuds.

Our teams put their thinking (chef) caps on, suckled on a few local beers and decided on the following braai essentials.

  • Roosterkoek : Balls of freshly bread dough cooked on a grid over the coals, stuffed with whatever you want.
  • Amarula : The team used this to coat the sticky, smoky marshmallows. Amarula is a creamy liqueur made from the fruit of the African marula tree.
  • Potjie : You can put whatever you want into a potjie, and directly translated means “small-pot food”. There are two rules –  you need to use a massive cast iron pot and you need to plonk it into the fire.

Africa on Foot : Heartwarming Beer-based Sweetcorn Roosterkoek 

Roosterkoek is for bread lovers. These doughy rolls should be cooked over the fire, and laden with toppings of your choice. These are the ingredients for the perfect Roosterkoek.

  • 1 packet of yeast
  • Stoneground self-raising flour
  • 1 x Black Label beer (room temp)

Mix together the above ingredients and allow to rise in the sun. While it’s doing this, brown the sweetcorn on the fire. Separate dough into even shaped balls and then braai over low coals turning continuously until cooked. Serve with lashings of butter!

Africa on Foot Corn Roosterkoek Heritage Day Braai Stuff Heritage Day Lanterns Heritage Day Braai Roosterkoek Black Label Roosterkoek on the Fire

Chacma Bush Camp : Recipe for Rich Venison Potjie Perfection

Clean and prep your potjie pot for the most epic, traditionally South African potjie. Making a potjie is about layering. Chuck the cast iron pot onto the fire, throw some oil in and let it heat up. Meat gets put in first, together with onions. This normally seals and locks in the juices. Vegetables are placed in next, and then the other ingredients. Potjies need to simmer and bubble and shouldn’t be stirred. Keep moving the pot around on the coals until you hear the gentle humming and bubbling of the mixture. Don’t let it boil and overheat !

Here are the ingredients the Chacma team used for their potjie :

  • 2 kg venison ( 200 g per person )
  • 1 x Black Label beer
  • Fresh ginger
  • Fresh garlic
  • 2 x large onions
  • Fresh herbs – parsley, thyme and rosemary
  • Butternut
  • Baby marrows
  • Fresh tomatoes
  • Sweetcorn
  • Two fresh green chillies
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

Biltong and Prep Chacma Braai Heritage Day Chacma Braai Time Team Chacma on Heritage Day Heritage Day Prepping for Braai Heritage Day in South Africa Potjie Around Fire Chacma Heritage Day Sitting Around the Campfire at Chacma Roasting Veg on the Fire Potjie Prep at Chacma South African Braai Prep Chacma Potjie on Braai Chacma Potjie Pots Twilight at Chacma Bush Camp

nThambo Tree Camp : Velvet Amarula Smoky Braai’d Marshmallows

Dessert consisted of delicious koeksisters (twisted pastry soaked in syrup) and marshmallows dipped in Amarula and braai’d over the fire.

  • Dip marshmallows in Amarula
  • Find a stick (preferably NOT from a tamboti tree) and place your mallow so that it’s secure
  • Braai your mallow until it’s done how you like it
  • Re-dip that mallow before shoving it down your gullet
  • Repeat until you’ve finished the packet of marshmallows!

 

nThambo Braai Marshmallows Braai Marshmallows at nThambo nThambo Tree Camp Koeksisters and Marshmallows on Heritage Day Marshmallows at nThambo Marshmallows at nThambo

Thanks to Em Gatland who not only took the photos, but also provided us with the recipes.

Go Bokke…and…local is lekker!