Heritage Day is soon approaching, and as South Africans we are encouraged to celebrate our diverse cultures and traditions.
On this day, which is celebrated every year on September 24, many people across the country wear traditional clothing that displays their culture, listen to some South African tunes and get together to enjoy a braai and good food, food that is filled with memories, stories and distinct flavours that represent cultures in a distinct way.
To celebrate Heritage Day, below we share some of our favourite dishes and shine a light on underrated South African foods.
Boerewors and egg quichelettes
Quichelettes are mini crustless quiches that are a great way to use up leftover boerie after your Heritage Day braai. These quichelettes by the South African Poultry Association make excellent snacks for lunch boxes, padkos, or a light lunch with a side salad. Quichelettes are ideal for breakfast, lunch on the run, kids’ lunch boxes, for padkos, picnics, or for dinner with a salad.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
- 500g boerewors
- Oil for frying
- 4 eggs
- 250ml milk
- 120g cheddar cheese, grated
- Pinch of mixed dried herbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 x 400g roll of frozen shortcrust pastry, defrosted
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Remove the casing of the boerewors and roll the meat into golf ball size balls.
Heat the oil in a pan and over medium heat gently fry the boerewors balls until golden and cooked.
In a bowl, beat eggs and add milk. Add the grated cheese and seasoning to the egg and milk mixture.
Unroll the dough and roll out flat, cut out circles to fit your tart or muffin tin. Ensure it is big enough to cover the sides with room to spare.
Line the pan(s) with the pastry.
To bake blind: cut pieces of baking paper larger than the pastry-lined tart tins, place over the pastry and fill with baking beans or dry rice. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove baking paper and baking beans and bake until the base is lightly coloured, about 5-6 minutes longer.
Spoon egg and cheese mixture into the pastry cases. Bake until the top browns very slightly, about 15-20 minutes. Cool before removing from the tart tin.
Braaibroodjie flatbread
Braaibroodjie, also known as “barbecue bread”, is a South African grilled cheese sandwich.
It is buttery, cheesy, syrupy, and absolutely delicious. This Heritage Month foodie Ilse van der Merwe of The Food Fox has brought on a delicious new twist to the traditional boerewors and braaibroodjie. Van der Merwe’s braaibroodjie flatbread yeast-free recipe does not require any kneading or proofing and is ready to serve from scratch in about 30 minutes.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 250g white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 15ml baking powder
- 5ml salt
- 250g double cream yoghurt
- 30ml butter, melted, for brushing (or olive oil)
- About 80ml chutney
- 1½ - 2 cups mature cheddar, grated
- 2 large (or a handful of small) tomatoes, thinly sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced into rounds
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- A handful of fresh wild rocket leaves, to serve (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
For the flatbread dough: place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-large mixing bowl and stir well. Add the yoghurt, then use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until it gets clumpy. Continue mixing by hand until most of the flour is incorporated and shaped into a ball.
Dust a clean working surface generously with flour, then use a rolling pin to roll into a rectangular shape, large enough to snugly fit into a standard baking tin (about 37cm x 25cm) - or use floured hands to press it out evenly. Transfer the dough to the baking tin lined with non-stick baking paper, then press it gently into all four corners.
Brush all over with melted butter or olive oil, then bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, then use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to distribute the chutney all over the surface.
Top with grated cheese, tomatoes, onion and some salt and pepper. Return to the oven for another 12 minutes or until golden brown all over.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a wooden serving board, top with some rocket leaves, then slice into portions. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Braai mushrooms with chickpea stuffing
To celebrate Heritage Month, the team from the South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association also brings below an easy and delicious braai mushroom with a chickpea stuffing recipe that you can try. Mushrooms are a rich, low-calorie source of fibre, protein and antioxidants. For many years they have been used for their unique ability to add flavour to lots of different cultures’ cuisines. Although they’re actually fungi, mushrooms are lumped in the vegetable category for cooking purposes.
Makes: 8
Ingredients
- Tahini lemon drizzle
- 4 cloves garlic
- 80ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 150g tahini
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Pinch salt
- Lemony breadcrumbs
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 50g breadcrumbs
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- Zest of 1 lemon
Stuffing
- 2 tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 tbs olive oil
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 3 tbs chives, chopped
- 3 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 8 large portobello mushrooms
- Olive oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Preheat braai to medium-high heat.
For the tahini lemon drizzle:
Combine the garlic and lemon juice and blend briefly with a stick blender.
Allow flavours to develop for 5 minutes and then strain through a fine mesh sieve.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the garlic-infused lemon juice, tahini, cumin, and salt.
Pour in the cold water and whisk to combine until smooth.
For the lemony breadcrumbs
Heat olive oil in a frying pan.
Add breadcrumbs and toast until golden. Season well with salt and pepper.
Switch off the heat and add the garlic, mixing it in well using the residual heat.
Finally, mix in the lemon zest and set aside until serving.
For the stuffing
Toast chickpeas in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until beginning to brown.
Combine all the stuffing ingredients and the toasted chickpeas in a bowl together and season to taste.
For the mushrooms
Brush the portobello with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Braai until tender and lightly charred all over.
Turn the mushroom’s gills side up and fill with the stuffing.
Close the braai lid and allow it to heat through.
Serve stuffed portobellos with a sprinkle of lemony breadcrumbs and a generous dollop of tahini drizzle.
