Former bank teller and now a foodie businesswoman, Metjie Shongwe, shares her budget-friendly recipe for pork trotters. Pork trotters are filled with tough connective tissue and thick skin, so preparations can take a long time, she warns.
Different communities around the world enjoy this visually striking cut of meat in different ways. But what you may not know are the health benefits of eating pigs’ feet.
Trotters are an abundance of tough connective tissue and thick skin. Many variations of trotter recipes involve long cooking processes. Luckily, this lengthy cooking method also extracts all the good stuff, collagen.
They may take a while to prepare but it’s worth the wait for this melt-in-your-mouth stew.
“I love how inexpensive and versatile trotters are, especially considering their nutrient value,” says Shongwe.
Shongwe has reached more than 100 000 people through her Facebook page Cooking with Metjie where she shares her favourite budget-friendly recipes.
Hobby turns to passion
A couple of years ago, Shongwe decided to turn her food hobby into a booming business. Her budget-friendly recipe posts on social media have reached thousands of people on Facebook, leaving most of her followers raving about her tasty homemade atchar and chilli sauce.
She also runs a successful catering and décor company with hopes of publishing her own cook book and seeing her vegetable atchar and chilli sauce in supermarkets in Mzansi.
“I am a self-taught cook and I created a Facebook page where I share my experiments with food and recipes that I create at home.”
Through sharing well-known and easy recipes with her followers, Shongwe aims to inspire those with a limited budget. “My reason was simply to inspire women who can’t cook or afford expensive ingredients, so we use what we have and create something amazing. Recently my page hit 100k.”
Make Metjie’s trotters
This simple yet deliciously hearty meal will delight your family and friends. Shongwe’s pork trotters are cooked until tender in a rich spicy and can be served with samp and a side of veggies of your choice.
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Ingredients
- 500g pork trotters
- Salt
- 15ml ground pepper
- 15ml turmeric (borrie)
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- Half onion, chopped
- 15ml breyani masala
- 500ml water
- 45ml thick soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
- 60ml paprika
- 3 tbsp spring onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- Cover trotters in cold water, and salt and cook for 3 hours until tender.
- Add soy sauce, breyani masala, paprika, turmeric, tomato paste, onion, spring onion, oil and ground pepper.
- Cook for a further 20 minutes and enjoy!
