With indigenous plants, there is always more you can do. Some heal through food, some are medicinal, some work well in beverages, and some do it all. Spekboom (portulacaria afra) is one of those.
It not only shines in the garden. From salads and sandwiches to smoothies and herbal teas, spekboom finds its place.
When she first discovered that spekboom could be eaten, chef Nonhlanhla Moroenyane, fondly known as chef Noni from Kensington, Johannesburg, says it came with many different experiences. From its sour taste to the way its bright green colour lifted her meals, and the healing it brought, spekboom quickly became part of her kitchen.
“I would triple my immunity boost in winter by pairing raw kale, oranges, and spekboom.”
Chef Nonhlanhla Moroenyane
She later learned that spekboom helps remove toxins from the body and supports skin healing through its antibacterial properties. Spekboom is also good for the environment as it absorbs carbon effectively, making it a natural air purifier.
“Spekboom is a phenomenal indigenous ancestor to have in your garden. It is easy to plant and propagate. It is medicine inside and outside the body. It heals both the soil and the body.”
She adds that growing spekboom is simple and accessible. It needs very little space and thrives even when planted in pots.
Dress your dishes with shiny green spekboom
Caesar salad is one of the best dishes to mix spekboom with, says private chef Thole Mathe from Tshwane, Johannesburg. The leaves have a zesty, lemony-to-tart flavour that changes, becoming less acidic later in the day.
Mathe advises, “Add raw leaves directly to salads for a fresh, citrusy note. They work wonderfully.
“As a flavour base, blend the leaves into a vibrant spekboom pesto with coriander, olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese powder to toss with grains or pasta.”
Mathe also says spekboom works well as a condiment. Cook the leaves down into a chutney or relish, which pairs well with grilled meats such as pork chops.
He notes that, as a garnish, a small sprig can be used to flavour stews, or the leaves can be dropped into gin and tonics instead of cucumber for a refreshing twist.
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Childhood flavours, grown up
Spekboom, known as igwanishe in the Eastern Cape, takes book author and chef Pumla Brook-Thomae straight back to her childhood in the Kariega farmlands.
“Igwanishe was one of my go-to snacks,” she says. “I’d chew on the crunchy leaves, bend my neck, and playfully throw them in the air, hoping to catch them with my mouth.”
Even as an adult, she’s grateful to live in places where iguanas grow abundantly, especially in the Eastern and Western Cape, keeping a connection to those early memories.
Chef Pumla Brook-Thomae’s igwanishe-whipped feta dip with roasted tomatoes
Serves 10–12
Roasted tomatoes
Ingredients
- 250g cherry or Italian tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp red balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- ½ tsp crushed black pepper
Method:
Mix all ingredients and roast for 25 minutes at 200 °C, until the skin is open.
Whipped feta
Ingredients
- 300g traditional feta
- 230g medium feta creamed cheese, smooth
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- 50 spekboom leaves (washed & dried)
Method
- Blend all feta ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
- Tip into a wide bowl. Top with roasted cherry tomatoes.
- Adorn with young spekboom leaves, then drizzle with remaining juices from the roasted tomatoes.
- Drizzle with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and serve with toasted seeded oat bread.
Top tips
- Pick small spekboom leaves for a slight tang; larger leaves can be intense in acidity.
- Younger leaves offer a slight tang, while larger leaves are more intense. Use a few larger leaves sparingly.
- Igwanishe’s texture makes it a great bulking agent for smoothies, like chia seeds. It’ll keep you fuller for longer.
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