Heritage food: The best potjiekos recipe

Heritage food: The best potjiekos recipe

Learn how to make the famous Afrikaans dish - potjiekos. The recipe is easy to master and it's delicious to eat...

Potjiekos
Potjiekos /iStock

Heritage Day is celebrated every year on September 24 in South Africa. 

It is a day where different cultures in South Africa appreciate their roots and celebrate what makes them unique as people of the soil. 

Like many festivals, Heritage Day has a strong culinary component.

The different races and cultures cook up a storm, especially their traditional dishes. 

Potjiekos is a traditional South African Afrikaner stew. 

READ: Rian van Heerden wins 'Potjiekos Cook-off' against actor Ben Kruger

It is cooked over a fire in a three-legged cast-iron pot.

Potjiekos is often served with homemade bread, dumplings, potato salads or three-bean salad. 

Here is a recipe courtesy of Afsanas cooking channel

Ingredients:

Marinade

- 1kg mutton

- 1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste

- salt to taste

- 2 tbsp chilli powder

- 1 tsp tumeric powder

- 3 tsp coriander powder

- 2 sprigs curry leaves

- 4 no. bay leaves

- juice of 1 lemon

- 4 no. whole chilli

- 1 tsp garam masala

- 1 tsp jeera powder

READ: Meet our 'Scenic Drive Potjiekos Cook-Off' contestants

Potjie Mix

- 1.5 tbsp jeera seeds

- 1 tsp cloves

- 1 tsp peppercorns

- 1 tsp cardamom

- 3/4 sticks cinnamon

- 2 sliced onions

- 3 blended tomatoes

- 3 large sweetcorn (cut into 2 /3)

- 3 large carrots (cut)

- 0.5 kg baby potato

- 3 gem squash (cut)

- 0.5 kg baby onion

Preparation:

- Add spices to 1kg mutton

- Mix well into meat

- Leave to marinade for 60mins. 

Process:

- Heat 0.5 cup oil in a pot on open flame & add jeera seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon and the sliced onions.

- Fry on high heat for around 10 mins till onions turn light brown.

- Add the marinated meat, stir and cover pot and let cook for 30 mins.

- Now add water till the meat is mostly covered.

- Stir pot and continue to cook on high for another 2 hrs or until meat is soft.

- Now add blended tomatoes, stir and cook covered for further 30 mins. 

- Add carrots & sweetcorn, mix and cook for 30 mins on medium heat. 

- Add more water if needed.

- Finally add baby potato, gem squash and baby onion, mix and cook for 30 more mins. 

- Potato should be soft and then it is ready to serve.

- Garnish with dhanya and serve with rolls or naan bread.

READ: Rian van Heerden wins 'Potjiekos Cook-off'  against actor Ben Kruger

More from Jacaranda FM


Follow us on social media:

· Facebook

· Twitter

· Instagram

· YouTube

· LinkedIn

· TikTok

Image courtesy of iStock

Show's Stories