Three scrumptious ways to prepare and enjoy the traditional roosterkoek
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A Roosterkoek is a delicious South African classic dish that is created with the same basic ingredients and instructions to make the other locally loved amagwinya (vetkoek) dish.
These versatile braai breads can be enjoyed on their own with some butter, as a side with some yummy braai meat, or as bread for your sandwiches.
Roosterkoek with chipotle butter
Ingredients
For the chipotle butter
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100g butter
Woolworths whole dried chipotle
4 teaspoons peppers (soaked in boiling water), chopped
To make the chipotle butter, mix all the ingredients and shape the butter into a cylinder. Wrap in clingfilm and secure on both ends. Chill to set.
To make the roosterkoek, mix the yeast and sugar in a small cup and allow to stand until it starts to foam, about 5 minutes.
Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the oil, water and yeast mixture and mix.
Transfer the mixture to a clean surface and knead for 10–15 minutes, or until elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with clingfilm and place in a warm spot until doubled in size. This usually takes an hour.
Knock down the dough, roll out and cut into 6–8 equal-sized rounds. Place on a lightly floured tray and gently flatten with your hands. Cover with clingfilm and set aside until doubled in size once more. This takes about 10–15 minutes.
Cook over hot coals for 8–10 minutes on each side. The roosterkoek should sound hollow when tapped. Serve with chipotle butter.
For the tomato relish, heat olive oil in a saucepan. Brown the onions and add garlic, sugar, What’s Cooking Italian Stew and tin of Italian chopped tomatoes. Mix well and let simmer for 30 minutes.
Cook the boerewors over coals until brown.
For the roosterkoek, mix flour, salt, yeast and sugar. Add water and sunflower oil bit by bit and knead the dough. Cover the dough with cling wrap and let it rise on a hot plate. Knead again before rolling.
Sprinkle a surface with flour and roll the dough out until 2 – 3 cm thick and cut into rectangles.
Cook over lukewarm coals until golden brown.
To serve, cut the roosterkoek open, cut a piece of boerewors of equal length and place inside the roosterkoek, and smother in tomato relish.
Mix the yeast and sugar together in a small cup with a small amount of warm water and stir. The mixture should foam after a minute or two.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt, then add the oil and water while mixing continuously. When the mixture comes together to form a dough, add the yeast and sugar and mix well.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly-greased plastic bag or in a lightly-greased bowl covered with a damp cloth and allow to rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in volume.
Divide the dough into 8 roughly equal pieces and shape into slightly flattened balls on a floured surface. Place on a baking sheet and cover with clingfilm. Leave to rise for another 15 minutes.
Place rolls on a hot braai grid over medium to low coals. You can lightly grease the grid if you wish. Cook for about 8-10 minutes.
Turn the roosterkoek-rolls over and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until done. They are done when they are lightly browned, crispy on the outside and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the fire.
Split open and butter, spoon over the apricot glaze, followed by the sliced onion, then add the two types of cheese. Add the tomato and season with salt.
Fold closed and return to low heat on the coals and heat until the cheese has melted.