South African favourites to master – and improve

It’s officially winter in South Africa, meaning it’s time for hearty soups and stews, warm desserts and comfort food. Since we’re still in lockdown and it seems that everyone is honing their cooking skills, we thought we’d give you a list of delicious, comforting South African favourites you’ll love learning to master – but also how you can turn them up a notch once you have the original recipe down pat.

Main meals

The classic recipe:

Bobotie

There’s nothing quite like a nice mince bobotie, infused with jam and raisins and topped with egg.

Make it even better:

Bobotie filo parcels with apple ring chutney

These heavenly little parcels will not only taste amazing but also look Instagram-worthy.

Cabbage bobotie with tomato chutney

A nice option for Meat-free Mondays.

The classic recipe:

Pap and tomato relish

A hearty, cheap meal that’s warm and comforting.

Make it even better:

Sweet pap with stewed fruit

Try it with a bit of a sweet twist.

Pap and mince pies

These make for a cool alternative to traditional curry bunnies.

The classic recipe:

Oxtail stew and creamy samp

A classic SA favourite that’s perfect with a nice glass of red wine in front of a fire.

Make it even better:

Asian-style oxtail

Soy sauce? In oxtail stew? It sounds weird, but we know you’ll love it.

The classic recipe:

Tomato bredie

This is what we would call regte huiskos.

Make it even better:

Tomato bredie with a twist

What’s the twist, you ask? Adding macaroni or spaghetti. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!

Desserts

The classic recipe:

Peppermint Crisp tart

This is a popular dessert in the Cape Malay community and South Africa in general, often made for big holidays such as Eid, Easter or Christmas.

Make it even better:

Peppermint Crisp and chocolate waffle ice-cream sandwiches

Your aunty’s typical Peppermint Crisp tart, but make it fashion. Make your own ice cream and put them between waffles you made yourself. Your mother-in-law won’t know what hit her come Christmas.

Peppermint Crisp and caramel pavlova wreath

The original is already quite decadent, but can you imagine this with pavlova? We don’t blame you if your mouth just started salivating.

The classic recipe:

Malva pudding

A staple winter dessert best served with warm custard.

Make it even better:

Naartjie-infused malva pudding

The citrus adds an incredible extra layer of flavour here.