Some parts of the country are still winter, even though we are in spring. Truth, all you want to do is get into sweatpants and cook something that reminds you of your childhood , these comforting foods have got your back.
Here are heritage classics like Umngqusho, Umleqwa , and Motogo wa Ting t.
Umngqusho
Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 5hours 30 min
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Ingredients
2 cups (2 × 250 ml) dried samp
1 cup dried sugar beans
2 Tbsp chicken stock powder
2 bay leaves
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 cups warm water
5 Tbsp (75 g) butter, cut into cubes
Method
1. Place the samp and sugar beans in a large bowl. Cover with warm water and leave to soak overnight, or for at least 4 hours. Drain the samp and beans and rinse briefly. Place in a large pot and cover with 3–4 cups water. Place over low heat and simmer for about 40 minutes, until just tender.
2. Drain the cooked samp and beans and return to the pot along with the chicken stock powder, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Add 3 cups (750 ml) warm water.
3. Cook over low to medium heat for 45–50 minutes, until the samp and beans are soft and tender (add extra warm water if necessary). Stir the butter into the warm umngqusho before serving.
Tip: Both dried samp and dried beans need to be soaked before cooking, so this is not a dish you can hurry.
Umleqwa
Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 2 hour 30 min
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Ingredients
2.2kg – 2.5 kg chicken pieces
2 large onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 bay leaves
2 Tbsp mild curry powder
1 beef stock cube or 1 Tbsp beef stock powder
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 large potatoes, peeled, washed and cut into chunks
Method
1. Place all the ingredients except the potatoes in a large pot. Add enough warm water to cover the chicken. Put the lid on the pot and cook on medium heat for 2 hours. (Turn the chicken every now and then, and top up the pot with boiling water if necessary.)
2. Add the potatoes and cook, covered, for a further 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the gravy is rich and thick. (If the gravy is too thin, remove the lid from the pot and cook for another 10–15 minutes, or until sufficiently reduced.
3. Serve umleqwa with umngqusho, steamed bread or ipapa.
Tip: If you portion a whole chicken, put it all into the pot, including the backbone. If you buy chicken pieces, you may need to add extra thighs or drumsticks to make up the weight.
Motogo wa Ting
Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 5 min
Fermentation Time: 2 days
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Ingredients
4 cups mabele meal
6 cups water
Method
1. Place the mabele meal and water in a large (5-litre) lidded bucket. Close the lid and leave, undisturbed, in a warm place for 48 hours.
Try these recipes for your family or when inviting guests over. You can never wrong with a cultural favourite!
Recipes by Liziwe Matloha
