POLOKWANE – For Braai Day this year, Review decided to create the ultimate Review Braai Day meal by sharing our journalists’ favourite recipes. 

Some of the recipes have been passed on for many generations, while others celebrate the true essence of a South African braai. Don’t just take our word for it, rather try it yourself.

Side dish – Umpha Manenzhe

Gravy or gwengwelele in Tshivenda can be enjoyed with any Heritage Day meal.

• 4 tomatoes
• One large onion or two small onions
• A pinch of salt
• Cooking oil
• One tbs of sugar
• Cream of tomato soup

Chop the onion into small pieces or blocks. Grate the tomatoes into a small bowl, or alternatively, put the tomatoes in hot water for three minutes then put them in cold water for three more minutes and the tomato skin will be easy to remove. Chop the tomatoes and fry the onions on medium heat, until they are light brown. Add the tomatoes and leave for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add some salt for taste, and add one cup of mixed cream of tomato soup and add into pot. Let simmer for five minutes on low heat. Add sugar for taste, put off the stove and simmer.

Snack – Anne Molope

Mini sausage pies:

• 400g of sausages (pork depending on what meat you prefer).
• One tsp of fresh sage.
• One egg (beaten).
• One tsp of fennel seeds.
• An onion or red onion (finely chopped).
• 400 – 500g puff pastry.
• Flour to sprinkle on top of the pies.
• Black pepper.

Preheat your oven to 200ºC. Peel off the skin of the sausages and place in a bowl. Mix together with the onion, sage and fennel seeds. Season with freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 3mm on a light surface that is floured and stamp out 16 baking discs using a 9cm cookie cutter, and another 16 discs using a 6cm cookie cutter. Place the larger discs on a baking tray then place one dessertspoon of the sausage mix in the middle of each disc and top with the smaller pastry discs. Take a small brush and brush the edge of the larger discs with some of the beaten egg, then bring up the edges to enclose the filling. Crimp the edges of the large discs with your thumb and finger, and then brush each pie with some egg. Bake the pies for about 15 – 20 minutes (depending on how hot your oven is) until the pastry turns golden brown and the filling is cooked through.

Drink – Herbert Rachuene

Umqombothi means beer in the Xhosa and Zulu language. What better way to celebrate a true South African braai, than with a glass of umqombothi. 

• 1kg maize meal
• 1kg coarse sorghum
• 1 litre of boiling water
• 375 ml brown sugar

Mix maize meal and sorghum in a bowl and add boiling water to make a paste.

Put in a container in a warm area for 2 days or until it smells fermented.

Boil one litre of  water in a pot and add to the paste slowly while stirring constantly over low heat for 40 minutes or until thickened. Set aside to cool. Mix the porridge with cold water and mix it with your hand until it’s a drinking consistency. Add sugar (if using) to help the fermentation process and put in a dark corner for about two days.

Strain the fermented mixture, separating the coarse sorghum from the liquid. The liquid is what will be enjoyed as umqombothi.

Main course – Miranda Chauke

Spoil your loved ones with this flavourful main course of saucy foil-pack barbecue ribs topped with a spicy tomato and onion relish. To complete this delectable meal, serve with a side of braai pap, to give it that true South African stamp of approval.

Spicy tomato and onion relish:

• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 green chilli (sliced)
• Olive oil
• 400g tinned tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp Spanish smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a splash of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and fry the onions until they are soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic, green chilli and smoked paprika and cook for an additional minute.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Saucy foil-pack barbecue ribs:

• 1,8 kg pork baby back ribs (cut into 2-rib portions)
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
• 3 or 4 ice cubes

Place the soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, basil, parsley and pepper in a blender. Add hot pepper sauce and garlic, if desired. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds until thoroughly mixed. Pour marinade over pork baby back ribs. Cover and refrigerate for up to eight hours. On medium-heat, place half the ribs in a single layer in the centre of a large sheet of heavy-duty foil.

Bring up long sides of foil. Double fold the short ends to seal, but leave the top open. Place the ice cubes in the packet. Double fold the top to seal, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Repeat to make second packet. Grill for 45 minutes to an hour or until ribs are done. Remove ribs from foil and place them on a barbecue grate. Brush with barbecue sauce mixture and grill for 10 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing with the remaining barbecue sauce mixture.

Braai Pap recipe:

• 2 cups of water
• 3 cups of maize meal
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Boil the water in a cast iron pot and then add salt to the water. Add the maize meal, but do not mix, just put a lid on the pot and remove from the fire. Leave the pot for 20 minutes, until all the water has absorbed into the maize meal. Remove the lid. Use a big fork to stir the porridge until it looks crumb-like. Add another half a cup of water, depending on how much heat you had in the first 20 minutes, and how moist you want the end product to be. All water added should be instantly absorbed by the porridge. Stir again. Replace the lid and let steam for another 20 minutes on the gentle heat of coals. Resist the temptation to open the lid all the time, but open once or twice to stir again and see that it’s not burning.

Recipe sourced from braai.com

Dessert – Maretha Swanepoel

Proudly South African bread pudding

• 10 slices of white bread cut into cubes without the crusts.
• 3 tablespoons melted butter.
• ½ cup of sugar sprinkled over the bread.
• 4 cups of milk.
• 4 beaten eggs.

Add the melted butter with the milk and heat until butter has melted. Add the mixture to the beaten eggs and mix well. Pour over bread and let it stand for five minutes. Bake for 40 minutes at 180ºC

Top layer: 

• ½ cup of butter.
• 1½ cup sugar.
• 2 Eggs.
• 10ml Vanilla Essence.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Mix the eggs and vanilla well with the butter and sugar mixture and then spread it over the hot pudding. Bake for another 30 minutes at 180ºC. Serve with ice cream, cream or custard.