Pop-up restaurateurs Karabo Mpiriane, Andile Khumalo and Letlhogonolo Leballo share their recipe for the Mzansi fireside favourite, potjie or potjiekos.
Cooked for hours over fiery coals until soft, tender and juicy, no rules except one bind this renegade dish. Never lift the lid unless something has gone horribly wrong, says the founders of Dulcis Cuisine.
READ MORE: Soshanguve trio shoots for the culinary skies
Potjie is just one of those unapologetically South African stews layered in vegetables and meats, making it rich in goodness and flavour. Mpiriane, Khumalo and Leballo share their easy-peasy recipe for a classic South African potjie.
Get the Mzansi Flavour newsletter: A weekly serving of craveable recipes and handy lifestyle tips.
Beef potjie
Ingredients
- 2 kg chunky stewing beef
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 large onions, cut into rings
- 1 tsp barbecue spice
- 1 tsp chicken spice
- 3 robot peppers, sliced
- 6 carrots
- 250 g mushrooms
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 handful mint
- 1 handful rosemary
- Freshly crushed black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic spice
- 700 ml beef / chicken stock*
- 1 tray sweet corn, cut whole pieces into three
- 12 baby potatoes
- 1 can tomato paste
Instructions
Pot Preparation: Using firewood and cooking from a 3-foot pot on the ground.
1. Chop up all your veggies into chunks.
2. Grease your cast iron pot with vegetable oil and place over the fire.
3. Once oil has heated, add your onions, barbecue spice and chicken spice.
4. Once onion has softened, add peppers and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add your meat, mushrooms, garlic, mint and rosemary, and stir. Add black pepper, paprika and garlic spice.
6. *To make beef stock: Add 1 cube beef stock to hot water then stir until cube is dissolved. Add to potjie and cook for three hours.
8. Add sweet corn and baby potatoes to the pot, simmer until cooked. To simmer, break apart coals and spread. Add tomato paste and stir. After 10 minutes, potjie is ready to be served.
