SEPTEMBER marks heritage month in South Africa and Northglen News’ Danica Hansen tracked down residents living in our area of coverage and honed in on the various dishes people prepare distinct to their cultural heritage. Besides cuisine Heritage Month also pays homage to our 11 official languages. According to government the month also recognises aspects of South African culture which are both tangible and intangible: creative expression such as music and performances, our historical inheritance, languages as well as the popular memory.
This week, Somerset Park resident, Marlini Naidoo shares her recipe for Idli, a steamed rice cake that represents her culture.
“My ancestral lineage comes from the south of India. I follow the Tamizh culture and traditions. Generally, the south Indian cuisine is based around rice, lentils and fresh vegetables,” she said.
While, Idli is a popular breakfast dish in India, it is often served at prayers and cultural events in South Africa.
“In India, it is served with sawbar, a spicy lentil soup and coconut chutney which is freshly made with coconut tempered with urad made from dahl and spices. My recipe is adapted to the South African palate. It’s a sweet cake that can be enjoyed with a cup of tea at any time of day,” she said.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice flour
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 cup semolina
- 1 sachet instant yeast (10g)
- 2 cups desiccated coconut
- 125g melted butter
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking power
- 1 cup sugar (adapt to taste)
Method
Sift the rice flour, cake flour and semolina together in a mixing bowl. Add one sachet of yeast and mix into the dry ingredients. Add tepid water to make a slurry batter. Cover and leave to rise for a few hours in a warm place. Add the melted butter, baking powder, sugar and desiccated coconut and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Spoon the batter into traditional Idli trays that have been sprayed with a non-stick coating or buttered ramekins. Steam on a stove top for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool and serve buttered.
Try these recipes prepared to mark Heritage Month:
Local cook goes back to her roots
High tea with an English classic
You can also sign up for news alerts on Telegram. Send us a Telegram message (not an SMS) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5532. 
Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.
