Traditional South African food with a twist.

Traditional food in an Afrikaans speaking  home consisted mostly out of meat, potatoes, pumpkin and rice.

I still  use the recipes that my mother used so many years ago.

Yesterday’s market finds made me think of a pumpkin recipe that we used when we had pumpkin  for a Sunday lunch.

The Afrikaner’s traditional way with some vegetables  is to sweeten it with golden syrup, sugar or honey.

Wash the pumpkin thoroughly because it will be cooked with the skin on.

Cut the pumpkin into slices and  remove the pips.

Place the pumpkin slices into a cast-iron pot. Sprinkle some salt over it and add about a cup of boiling water.  Place lid on the pot and boil until pumpkin is soft and dry. You might have to boil it at the end without a lid.

Put a few blobs of butter in the pot and sprinkle with sugar. Let the pumpkin caramelize on a low heat without a lid.

That made me  think about two other dishes that have always been my favourites.

Stewed green beans and broccoli / cauliflower bake!

Green beans
500 …. cut green beans
1 potato (pieces)
1 chopped onion

Cook ingredients for about 40 minutes and mash with the potato masher.                                                                                                                    Add salt, butter and pepper to taste.

My husband contribution to the meal was  to grill some chicken pieces on a braai. (South African word for a barbecue) Yummy!

That’s how we ended up having a traditional meal with a twist!

These are my own views on traditional food in SA.