Celebrate Family Day with these proudly South African dishes

As the long weekend approaches, South Africans are no doubt trying to find creative ways to keep themselves entertained.

Video chat platforms like Zoom, Facetime and Houseparty are all great tools to remain connected with family, loved ones and friends. Use the long weekend to host a couple of themed dinner parties with delicious food, company and upcycled decor.

Add some true South African spirit into your virtual themed party with these delicious Rhodes Quality recipes: veggie bunny chow, boerewors and mash with chakalaka, and Cape Malay pickled fish – and some crafty ways to use your leftover tin cans.

Veggie bunny chow

Veggie bunny chow. Picture: Supplied

Inspired by Durban’s iconic bunny chow, this recipe makes great use of all the tinned foods in the cupboard. What could be more South African than a bunny chow?

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 1 x 410g can Rhodes Quality mixed vegetables in brine, drained
• 1 x 410g can Rhodes Quality cross cut green beans in brine, drained
• 1 x 410g can Rhodes Quality tomatoes chopped & peeled
• 1 x 410g can Rhodes Quality butter beans in curry
• 2 tsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3 tbsp fruit chutney
• Salt and pepper
• 2 loaves fresh white unsliced bread, halved and hollowed out (keep removed dough for serving)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.

2. Fry the onions in the oil until soft and golden.

3. Add the garlic, ginger, spices and chutney and fry together for 1 minute.

4. Add the mixed vegetables, green beans, tomatoes and butter beans.

5. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

6. Season the mixture to taste and spoon into the hollowed-out bread.

7. Top with the removed pieces of bread and serve.

Crafty tip: Create tin can tea lights by cleaning the tin, then piercing holes into patterns and placing a candle inside. A map of Africa, your family initials or motivating catchphrases are sure to add some light and ambience to your virtual dinner.

Boerewors and mash with chakalaka. Picture: Supplied

This easy and budget-friendly recipe is the perfect solution for a hearty family meal.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Boerewors
• 1 x 410g can Rhodes Quality chakalaka hot & spicy
• 500g boerewors
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, sliced

Mashed potato
• 1kg potatoes
• 125ml milk
• 3 tbsp butter
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and chop into quarters.

2. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of salty water and bring to the boil.

3. Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are soft and can be poked through with a knife without resistance.

4. Drain in a colander.

5. In the same saucepan, place the milk and the butter and bring to the heat.

6. Return the drained potatoes to the saucepan, and over low heat, mash with a potato masher, incorporating the milk and melted butter until the mash is smooth and creamy.

7. Season the mash to taste with the salt and pepper and set aside.

8. Fry or grill the boerewors until cooked and browned on both sides.

9. Remove from the pan and set aside.

10. Drain excess fat from the pan.

11. Heat the oil in the same pan and onion until softened.

12. Add the chakalaka and bring to the boil.

13. Cut the boerewors into smaller pieces and add to the chakalaka mix.

14. Heat through and serve hot over the mashed potato.

Crafty tip: Create Spekboom planters by cleaning the tin cans and painting them with the South African flag, Shweshwe designs or anything uniquely South African. Use them to plant succulents or Spekboom. You could even gift them to family after lockdown.

Cape Malay pickled fish

Cape Malay pickled fish. Picture: Supplied

Enjoy the flavour of the Cape with this quick and easy dish – a South African favourite and perfect for the long weekend. This dish will keep fresh in the fridge for up to a week. The fish is cooked first and is then pickled and served cold.

Bread lovers can also consider baking some delicious mini bread loaves in the leftover jam cans to serve with the pickled fish.

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 2 tbsp Rhodes Quality apricot jam
• 1kg firm white fish, skinned and deboned
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sunflower oil for frying
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• ¾ cup white wine vinegar
• ½ cup water
• 1 tbsp mild curry powder
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 peppercorns
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Method

1. Trim the fish into even-sized pieces and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onions until soft. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Fry the fish in oil in the same pan for a few minutes on both sides until just cooked, then set aside.

4. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, curry powder, turmeric, bay leaves, apricot jam, peppercorns, lemon rind and sugar.

5. Bring to the boil, whisking well then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 -15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

6. Place the fish and onions in a large jar or dish and cover with the sauce. Cool and refrigerate overnight before serving.

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