Enjoy a safe, socially-distant Heritage Day with these delicious braai recipes.

With guidance by Food24, DrinksFeed, Fry’s Family and others, we invite you to try your hand at time-tested veg, meat and carb flavours dressed up in a fresh way.

Some are quick and simple; some take more time. All of them with promise to delight you and your guests.

Safety tip: While we are still waiting for definitive data linking raw and cooked food to the transmission of the human coronavirus, we know it transfers from person to person through respiratory droplets. In the interests of everyone’s safety, please wash your hands often while preparing and avoid catering if you have (or have recently had) any of the known symptoms of Covid-19 listed here. The World Health Organisation further warns that “raw meat, raw milk or raw animal organs should be handled with care to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods.”

KEY
T = Tablespoon
C = Cup
tsp = teaspoon
1/4 refers to one quarter (one over four), rather than “one or four”

 

1. Delicious ostrich sosaties in port and horseradish sauce

This recipe, adapted by DrinksFeed from Nigella Lawson’s “beef kebabs”, puts a truly Mzansi spin on a worldwide favourite.

Ingredients

500 g ostrich fillet, sliced into chunks
1½ T red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
60 ml olive oil
3 T horseradish sauce or cream
2 T rosemary needles (or 1 tsp dried rosemary)
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T your favourite Port
200 g creme fraiche
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
4 T chopped chives

How to make it

The day before (or half an hour before):
• Slice the ostrich fillet into big pieces about the same size.
• Place them in a freezer bag with vinegar and 2 T hot horseradish sauce.
• Add the port, rosemary, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Place in the fridge for 20 minutes +, or overnight, if you can.

On the day:
• Allow the meat to return to room temperature outside of the fridge.
• Soak 10 or more wooden skewers in water while this is happening.
Dip:
Beat together the creme fraiche, the last 2 T horseradish sauce, the Dijon mustard, salt and the chives. Keep some of the chives aside for the garnish.

Sosaties:
• Heat the grill.
• Thread a few meat cubes onto each skewer.
• Place them under the grill.
• Turn after 2 minutes.
• Cook for another 2 minutes.
• Remove to a plate decorated with a bit of rosemary and chives.

 

2. Wors and pap (sausages and savoury porridge)

Taken from “Celebrate With Lorna Maseko” cookbook, this recipe combines carbs and proteins for a tasty treat that will power you all day. Or night.

Ingredients

Pap:
2 C water
Pinch of salt
1,5 C maize meal

Relish:
2 T fresh chilli
1 onion, chopped
1 tinned tomato, chopped
2 T Worcestershire sauce (or similar)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp barbeque sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
400 g boerewors divided into 4 sections
240 ml cream
100 g butter
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
400 g edamame beans

How to make it:
Pre-heat your gas or electric oven to 180º C.

Pap:
• Bring the water to boil in a medium-sized pot.
• Season the water with salt.
• Add the maize meal to the water.
• Gently stir it and let it simmer. It will thicken.
• Using a wooden spoon, fold and mix the thickened paste.
• If it is grainy, add a little water.
• Reduce the heat and continue to gently fold. The paste will further stiffen.
• Continue to fold every 5 - 7 minutes.
• Use a fork to fluff it up

Relish:
• While the Putu pap cooks, lightly pour the olive oil in a pan on high heat.
• Sauté the onions in it till they’re soft.
• Add the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, tomatoes, barbecue spice, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Allow to simmer.
• Reduce the heat and let this sauce reduce somewhat.

Boerewors:
• While the sauce is reducing, place the boerewors on a griddle pan at medium-high heat.
• Prod the wors to release fatty liquids.
• When boerewors is charred, put it on a baking tray.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for a 2–4 minutes.

Pulling it all together:
• Just before the pap paste is good to go, add the cream into it, season it and keep fluffing it with that fork. You want a hard, but light consistency for your Putu.
• Once done, remove it from the stove, drizzle some truffle oil over it and mix it in.
• Blanch the edamame beans in hot water briefly right before serving.
• Serve the rich pap with the tomato relish, boerewors and edamame beans.

 

3. A taste of two worlds - Braaied Butternut and miso

This is an easy and delicious recipe for vegetable lovers who like the flavour of home blended with the taste of Asia. It’s from the book “My Vegetarian Braai”, written by Adele Maartens and published by Struik Lifestyle (an imprint of Penguin Random House).

Ingredients
2 butternuts
4 clones garlic, minced
2 T miso paste
2 T honey
1/4 cup cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil
2 T sesame oil
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
Sesame seeds (toasted with fresh coriander)

How to make it
• Cut the butternuts in half and take out the pips.
• Combine the honey, miso, garlic, chilli flakes and oils in a bowl. Stir together.
• Brush butternut halves with the miso mix. Place them onto foil and wrap them up.
• Cook them on the coals for 30 – 40 minutes. They must be properly cooked and soft.
• Remove them gently, take off the foil and garnish with the sesame seed and fresh coriander mix.
• Serve.

 

4. Plant-powered skewers by Fry’s

Fry’s is a 100 % vegan, proudly South African protein alternative with a powerful umami flavour typically associated with meat.

Ingredients
1 box Fry’s Braai-Style Sausages
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T Paprika
2 T Brown sugar
1/4 C Syrup
1 T White wine vinegar
1 T Olive oil
2 T Barbecue sauce
2/3 C Couscous
2/3 C Boiling water
1/2 Cucumber, diced
1/2 C Rosa tomatoes, sliced
1/2 Red onion, diced
2 T Fresh basil
Squeeze of lemon
Squeeze of orange
Salt and pepper
Lemon pieces for squeezing over the meal

How to make it
• Prepare the braai.
• Soak the skewers in water, slice the sausages into sosatie-sized sections and thread these onto the wet skewers. Grill these on the braai for 10 minutes by rotating and basting them continuously.
• For the braai sauce: Combine the garlic, paprika, brown sugar, syrup, vinegar, olive oil and barbecue sauce. Mix thoroughly, then marinade the sausages in this sauce for half an hour.
• Prepare the couscous.
• Add to it: Rosa tomatoes, cucumber, basil and red onion. Throw in the lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, salt and pepper as well. Mix it all gently to combine the flavours.
• Serve the ready skewers with couscous salad and lemon pieces.

 

Inspired? Got a recipe you love to use on Braai day? Share it with the dotsure.co.za family on our Facebook page here.

 

MORE
It’s not just chocolate that can poison your pooch. Your pot plants can, too!
Wait, chocolate can kill a dog? Yes, it can.
Which foods are toxic to cats, then? These ones are…
On the topic, what about a guide to life-saving pet first aid? Click here.