Recipes: Miss SA finalists share their winter delights

As the Top 30 Miss South Africa 2021 hopefuls await crowning, they got busy in the kitchen, cooking up some of their favourite meals.

Johannesburg finalist Dr Ferini Dayal shares her veggie starter of melazane (baked brinjal), Eastern Cape’s Zimi Mabunzi has us feeling nostalgic with her family’s recipe for umgqusho (samp) while Ané Oosthuysen gives us a step-by-step for a warm apple pie.

READ MORE: Miss SA hopefuls get cooking

Try their recipes:

Ferini Dayal’s Melt-In-Your-Mouth Melanzane 
 
Ingredients
3 medium size brinjals
Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, crushed
2 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp paprika
2 onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, grated
1 cup Greek yoghurt
Bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
 
METHOD:

1. In a large saucepan over medium to high heat, boil the brinjals until half done.
2. Remove from the pot and cool slightly.
3. Cut brinjals into thick slices, sprinkle with paprika and fry in olive oil.
4. Make an onion and tomato chutney, by frying an onion until golden then add the grated tomato, ginger and garlic and spices. 
5. For presentation: Layer eggplant first, then the chutney and then the yoghurt.
   Garnish with coriander.

READ MORE: Miss SA hopefuls get cooking

Zimi Mabunzi’s Umngqusho & Beef Stew

For the Samp & Beans

1 cup of samp

¼ cup of beans

Full pot of water 

1 beef stock cube

Aromat

1 tsp of Holsum fat (optional but makes it super yum!)

METHOD:

1. Cook the samp and beans in the water until soft and edible.
2. Then add the stock cube, Aromat and fat and cook for about 3 hours.

For the Beef Stew

1kg stewing beef

1 tbsp of oil

1 onion, chopped

2 red peppers, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp Mother-in-Law spice (or more if you like your stew hot!)

1 tbsp chutney

1 cube of beef stock 

1 tbsp paprika

METHOD:

1. Add oil to a pot and over a medium heat brown the beef.
2. Remove the meat and, in the same pot, add the onion, peppers, garlic and beef stock and cook until onion is soft.
3. Then add the salt (to taste), paprika, Mother-in Law-spice, chutney and a generous amount of water and cook – stirring regularly – until meat is tender. 

Cook’s Tip: The Mother-in-Law spice is non-negotiable, so make sure you have some in the cupboard before you start cooking. How much you use depends on how spicy you like your stew.

READ MORE: Miss SA hopefuls get cooking

Ané Oosthuysen’s Apple Pie

Ingredients
250ml sugar
30ml butter
125ml milk
2 eggs
250ml cake flour
5ml baking powder
385g of apple slices
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon
200ml cream
200ml sugar
5ml vanilla

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Mix eggs and sugar and then add the milk and butter and mix well.
3. Combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder and add to the egg mixture.
4. Pour the batter into an ovenproof dish and carefully place the apple slices on top.
5. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes or until golden brown.
6. When ready, remove from oven and allow to cool down.
7. In a small saucepan pot, heat the cream, sugar and vanilla.
8. Pour over the apple tart before slicing and plating!

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