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Chicken potjie

A classic stew that hails from South Africa, potjiekos is usually slow-cooked in a cauldron-like potjie (pronounced “poikee”) pot over an open flame outdoors. See Notes to find out how to make this chicken potjie in a slow cooker.

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Biltong

A South African favourite (nothing like beef jerky), biltong is simply cured and dried meat strips. This recipe was designed especially for expats and other adventurous people. How to make biltong: key tips It’s better to make biltong when there is no moisture/humidity in the air, as mould thrives in humid conditions. A dry environment allows for good moisture evaporation from the meat, which is essential to create the biltong’s unique texture and to give it a longer shelf life. The dry curing mix flavours the meat and helps to preserve it, so be sure to rub it into your meat slices well and spread it as evenly as possible. You can keep any leftover dry curing mix till you make the next batch. Just store it in an airtight container in a cool dry spot, away from any moisture. The same goes for the vinegar mixture – ensure every piece of meat gets a ‘vinegar treatment’. How you hang your meat is up to you. See how the cook, Alistair, does it in the notes below the recipe. Key ingredients in this biltong recipe Beef topside steak is often used for biltong because it’s lean and tender, and you can easily cut it into long strips along the grain (for traditional biltong preparation). This cut of beef also has a good amount of marbling, which makes the biltong rich and tender. Using bicarb soda in the curing mix prevents mould from forming on the meat as it dries. The vinegar mix of brown vinegar (malt vinegar) and Worcestershire sauce has two main roles. Firstly to impart richness and a characteristic depth of flavour to the meat and, secondly, to inhibit microbial growth, which would spoil the meat as it dries. If you love biltong, you might like to make more of our South African recipes. I particularly like this Peppermint Crisp fridge tart. This recipe was originally submitted by alistair, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

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South African Malva pudding

This warming pud is a firm favourite in South Africa, where it originated. You could almost say this is our version of a caramel pudding. You make a brown sugar and cream sauce and pour it over the soft sponge as soon as it comes out the oven. The sponge soaks it up and you're left with a gooey, caramel pud that will literally bring families together.

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Tomato jam recipe

Tomato jam is a South African staple, but for some reason not available in Australia where I live now, so I make my own.

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Peppermint Crisp fridge tart

With crunchy Peppermint Crisp and smooth Top ‘n’ Fill Caramel, this easy and tasty traditional South African dessert is sure to put a smile on your dial! Just be sure to make it in advance, because it requires chilling overnight. Trust us when we say it’s worth the wait. How to make a Peppermint Crisp fridge tart: key tips To easily crush your Peppermint Crisp bars, pop them into a freezer bag and then use the blunt end of a meat mallet or a rolling pin to coarsely crush the bars through the bag. You’ll want the pieces fairly small, but a few different-sized pieces is okay and adds interest and texture. Tennis Biscuits are square in shape and so are easy to use to line a tray and create the layers. As the fridge tart chills overnight, the biscuits will soften and become cake-like and easy to slice through. Key ingredients in this Peppermint Crisp fridge tart recipe You only need 4 ingredients to make this super delicious tart. Bakers Tennis Biscuits are soft and buttery, and taste of fresh coconut. You can buy them at the supermarket, but you can also use Arnott's Nice biscuits, if you prefer. If you can't find Peppermint Crisp, you can use a Peppermint Aero bar. Top ‘n’ Fill Caramel is a deliciously thick caramel that will combine beautifully with the cream to create the caramel cream filling for this fridge tart. Be sure to use full-fat thickened cream to achieve the best texture. If you adore peppermint, you’ll also adore this Peppermint Crisp cheesecake and chocolate peppermint crunch slice. This recipe was originally submitted by Lindy Lawler, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Lindy Lawler and Natasha Shaw.

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Sandy's Mince and Rice Ole'

An easily prepared recipe given to me by my friend Sandy, developed from a well known brand of rice in South Africa.

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Beef potjie

Pronounced poi-kee, this South African stew, also known as potjiekos, is traditionally cooked in a cast-iron potjie pot over flames. If you don’t have a similar good solid pot, this recipe includes instructions for how to make it in a slow cooker, too. How to make beef potjie: key tips It’s best to brown your meat in the hot potjie pot in batches, otherwise you may find that the meat stews in its own juices, instead of searing, which will make it horribly tough. The more caramelisation you can get on the meat and vegies (without burning), the better your stew will taste. Traditional potjie isn’t stirred, so try not to be tempted. The ingredients are layered in a manner that allows them to cook at their own pace, and stirring can disrupt the layering, causing the vegetables to break down and become mushy. Your stew is ready when the meat is super tender or falls off the bone, if using oxtail. Serve with bread to sop up the gravy. Key ingredients in this beef potjie recipe Stewing beef or oxtail (bone in) is used for this recipe. Chuck steak and brisket are affordable supermarket cuts that, along with oxtail, become gorgeously tender when cooked for a long time. Aside from the mushrooms, the vegies (onion, carrot, celery) are typical stewing vegetables that are designed to add sweetness, savouriness and texture, and a good dose of nutrients, too. The mushrooms provide a hearty, umami-rich flavour that complements the meat and other vegetables. Dark beer, such as a stout or Guinness, adds a rich, savoury and slightly sweet flavour to the gravy – any bitterness mellows during the long cooking time. Enjoy more of our South African recipes, including homemade biltong. This recipe was originally submitted by Kate Johnson, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

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Sausage chutney rougaille

This tasty dish uses rich beef sausages, and blends delicious flavours from South Africa and Mauritius where chutney and rougaille are easy weeknight dinners. Serve up a bowl on a rainy weekend with soft rice and crispy naan bread.