The South African Cookbook – Perfectly timed to publish when our daytime temperatures are comparable, perhaps, to a hot South African summer day, is this gorgeous new cookbook. The South African Cookbook: Authentic flavour-packed recipes from Cape Town to Durban is from the South African chef Nokx Majozi, who recently joined the team at acclaimed London restaurant Fallow. From a hearty Boerewors roll to a fresh rainbow salad, and from iconic bobotie to the infamous melktert, the book is packed with 90 everyday recipes that celebrate the diverse and brilliantly vibrant flavours of South African cooking and which will help any home cook bring the flavours of South African food to their own kitchens. With recipes that have been handed down through generations of her family, and her own modern interpretations of traditional dishes, these are Nokx’s most-loved recipes. From braai to street food, pies and pastry to desserts, expect recipes that delight the senses and awaken your taste buds.
Nokx learned to cook at an early age, inspired by watching her parents in their home kitchen in Durban, South Africa. Breaking the mould, she knew she wanted to be a chef and spent three years studying before travelling to the US to cook South African food in Florida and eventually settling in London. She was Head Pie Maker and Senior Chef at Holborn Dining Rooms, bringing the flavours of her home country to pie fanatics, and has recently joined the team at acclaimed London restaurant Fallow. She has worked with Women in Hospitality, an organisation set up to nurture the careers of aspiring female chefs, and has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality by CODE, twice. The book is published by Bloomsbury at £26, for a hardbacked, veritable travelogue to South Africa.
Here are a couple of recipes to give you a taste of what’s in the book:
Sugar Bean Curry (Serves 4)
“There’s nothing tastier than a bowl of beans simply simmered in stock and seasoned with salt and pepper but currying them takes them to a whole new level. This dish is the ultimate comfort food for me on colder days. When we saw that the weather was going to be bad, my brother would start the beans soaking overnight and then make this curry the next day. The soft, tender sugar beans soak up all the warmth and spice of the curry, filling the whole house with a delicious fragrance while it simmers away.”
500g dried sugar beans, or borlotti beans
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
Sea salt and black pepper
To serve
Coriander leaves
Plain rice
Durban roti
Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. The next day, drain and rinse the beans and place into a pan. Cover with twice the volume of fresh water as beans. Bring to a boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 40 minutes. They should be cooked through but not falling apart. Cook for a little longer if needed.
Put the oil in a large pot and set over a medium heat.
Add the cinnamon stick, if using, and the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the chilli powder and curry powder and keep stirring to cook for a minute.
Drain the beans over a bowl or jug, reserving the cooking liquid. To the pan of onions, add the tomatoes, potatoes and the cooked beans. Pour over the reserved bean liquid until the potatoes are covered. Top up with more hot water if needed.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the sauce has thickened up. Add a splash more water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Season to taste, scatter over the coriander and serve with plain rice and/or Durban roti.
Rainbow Salad (serves 6-8)
“This rainbow salad is a showstopper in every sense. It’s packed with every colour of the vegetable spectrum, from crisp peppers and radishes to leafy greens and shredded red cabbage as well as Hispi cabbage, also known as pointed cabbage or sweetheart cabbage, whose leaves are delicate and sweeter than regular green cabbage. I love how it’s not just a feast for the eyes, but for the taste buds too. Each veggie brings its own crunch, freshness and flavour, and the tangy dressing ties it all together beautifully. This is the salad I make when I want something vibrant, healthy and guaranteed to brighten up my day. Every bite feels like a celebration of what nature has to offer. Ditch the regular leafy greens and make this your new middle-of-the-table salad!”
2 carrots, grated
125g butternut squash, peeled and julienned
1 red pepper, deseeded and julienned
¼ green cabbage, such as Hispi or Savoy, thinly sliced
¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced
100g baby spinach, thinly sliced
5 radishes, thinly sliced
20g parsley, chopped
60g mixed seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin, linseeds
For the dressing
1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, zest and juice
3 tsp runny honey
3 tsp Dijon mustard
6 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and white pepper
Start by making the dressing. In a blender or bowl, add the cider vinegar, lemon zest and juice, honey and mustard. While the blender is running or you are whisking by hand, slowly add the olive oil in a thin steam until it’s all incorporated. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
In a large bowl, mix all the vegetables, the chopped parsley and the seeds.
Drizzle over the dressing and toss to coat everything thoroughly. Serve on a large platter.
The Seasoned Gastronome