Lehla Eldridge - The South African Illustrated Cookbook

The South African Illustrated Cookbook Lehla Eldridge This edition published in 2013 by Struik Lifestyle
(an imprint of Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd) Company Reg. No. 1966/003153/07
Wembley Square, Solan Road, Cape Town 8001
PO Box 1144, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa First published in 2002 by Struik Lifestyle
Reprinted in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 Copyright in published edition: Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd 2002
Copyright in text and illustrations: Lehla Eldridge 2002 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner/s. Publisher: Linda de Villiers
Editor: Cecilia Barfield
Illustrator: Lehla Eldridge
Concept designer: Petal Palmer
Designer: Beverley Dodd
Design assistant: Sean Robertson
Proofreader and indexer: Pat Barton ePub ISBN: 978-1-43230-179-8
PDF ISBN: 978-1-43230-180-4
Print ISBN: 978-1-86872-718-6 Get monthly updates and news by subscribing to
our newsletter at www.randomstruik.co.za contents Authors acknowledgements I would like to thank the following people: Melissa, Richard and the Brake boys (for all their help and support); Jon Stokes (for helping me find recipes and for making me laugh); Linzi Rabinowitz (for all her kindness and for letting me use her computer and making me great salads); Aunty Bluma; Caitlin Ferraz (for always being so kind and for lending me her car); Peter and Almary Ferraz; Rose Gaines and Peggy Botham; Khutemba (for helping me with African cooking); Brian and Nontobeko; Lutfia Boran (for her endless patience with me when I was constantly quizzing her); Jiggy Thorne; Jon Mitchell (for daring me to go to the publishers in the first place); Karen Dudley (for teaching me a lot about South African cooking); Mama Manzi; Jeannette Crous and Mrs Beukes in Barrydale; Marlene George; Peter-Dirk Uys, Monique Weschta, Aunt Elaine, Nashen Moodley and Leslie Swart; Hein Walkinshaw and the Woodmead School ladies, Vern ORian, Valerie Diesel and Hazel Krige; Pat Fritchen-Pryce; Lungi Kobus-Khaye and Vathiswa Manyisane; Noor Ibrahim from the District Six Museum; Kairoonnisa Yacoob; Jos, Claudia and Hoffie; Khalid Jilani and Ian Alleman; Faiga of Simply Spice in Cape Town; special thanks to Miki Redelinghuys, and Stephanie; Flora Meyer; Linda, Beverley and Cecilia of Struik Publishers; my Mum (for her cooking skills and help), Dad (for his painting skills and support); Rucha (for being my brilliant sister); and anybody else whom I have forgotten to mention. oz (rounded off) CAKE FLOUR: equivalent to plain flour PAWPAW: another name for papaya SNOEK: an oily fish not unlike mackerel BREDIE: a stew PEPPADEW: a piquant member of the capsicum family NAARTJIE: citrus fruit very similar to tangerine SOSATIES: kebabs BRAAI: the South Arican term for barbeque MEALIE MEAL: also known as corn meal or maize meal SAMP: consists of coarsely crushed maize kernels Introduction Me, at work. oz (rounded off) CAKE FLOUR: equivalent to plain flour PAWPAW: another name for papaya SNOEK: an oily fish not unlike mackerel BREDIE: a stew PEPPADEW: a piquant member of the capsicum family NAARTJIE: citrus fruit very similar to tangerine SOSATIES: kebabs BRAAI: the South Arican term for barbeque MEALIE MEAL: also known as corn meal or maize meal SAMP: consists of coarsely crushed maize kernels Introduction Me, at work.

I was raised in England and my first memories of anything South African were visits from sun-kissed relatives and blue airmail letters for my Mum; the connection with South Africa always seemed far away and remote. In 1995 I was awarded a scholarship to study theatre in South Africa for nine months. I spent the time travelling around, working with various theatre companies and it was then that I felt a real attraction to this country. Since then I have been back and forth, and when in Europe, I find the colours, space and richness of South Africa on my mind. That, and a friend who said I would never have the guts to do it, inspired me to approach publishers with an idea for a book. Convinced that nothing would come of it, I received a call early one morning while rehearsing for a play in England, Lehla, Im from Struik, we would like you to do the book.

I was thrilled; I would be returning to South Africa and would be able to explore this vast country through the eyes of people of different cultures. My culinary travels have taken me all over and I have met amazing people, with incredible stories. I have been so moved by their willingness to share recipes, ways of cooking, secret tips and stories and I feel privileged to have entered so many lives and kitchens. All the illustrations have sprung from things that I have seen around me, and the recipes are from the people of South Africa. In passing on these recipes I have tried to do so faithfully as they were given to me. But if there is the odd extra dash of oil, or pinch of pepper, please forgive me.

I have cooked all these dishes and they are delicious. I want to thank everybody who has helped me to compile this book. I hope you enjoy preparing these meals as much as I do and that they will bring a little of South Africa into your home, wherever it may be! Lehla Eldridge
Cape Town
2002 Soups and Starters The Johannesburg skyline. Hazels Chicken Liver Pt SERVES 6 (GENEROUSLY) Preparation time: 30 minutes Setting time: 2 hours Thanks to Hazel Krige from Woodmead School for this Jewish recipe. 450 g chicken livers, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 150 g mushrooms or aubergines, chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 bay leaf a sprig parsley, finely chopped 1 t (5 ml) dried thyme 200 g butter salt and pepper, to taste 3 T (45 ml) brandy Fry the chicken livers, onion, mushrooms or aubergines, garlic, bay leaf, parsley and thyme in 60 g of butter. When cooked, remove the bay leaf, add a little salt and pepper, and then the brandy. Place all the ingredients, including the remainder of the butter, in a liquidizer and blend until smooth.

Transfer the mixture into a dish. Once it is cool enough, refrigerate the pt and leave it to set. It is delicious with crackers, and also with a smidgen of dried fruit chutney. Nontobekos Steam Bread SERVES 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes This is a traditional Xhosa recipe. 5 cups (600 g) cake flour 1 sachet instant yeast 3 T (45 ml) white sugar 1 t (5 ml) salt 1 cups (375 ml) warm water 1 T (15 ml) sunflower oil or olive oil 1 T (15 ml) butter, for greasing the loaf tin boiling water Sieve the flour and combine it with the yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm water and the oil. Knead this into a dough and divide it into two, forming each into a ball.