Blade Steak Stew - Daktari Style

This is my recipe, adapted from a couple of recipes on the web and giving it a bit of a South African twist, using spices we use around here. This recipe serves 2 - 3 people. Daktari Farm is where I live :)

INGREDIENTS

Cooking oil

500g blade steak, cut into smaller pieces

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 small bay leaves/2 large bay leaves

Few sprigs of fresh thyme

Garlic flakes

1 cup oxtail stock

1 can whole peeled tomatoes

1 sachet tomato paste

Shisanyama seasoning*

Flippen Lekka Spice*

200 g exotic mushrooms, sliced

2 TBS Worcester Sauce

Salt & Pepper

METHOD

1. Heat a little bit of oil in a pot and fry the meat pieces until browned; remove from the pot

2. Add the onion and fry until soft, add the carrot, bay leaves, thyme. Saute for a minute or two until soft. Add the mushrooms and stir in and saute for a minute or two until combined 

3. Add the meat and stir well; add the canned tomatoes; tomato paste; oxtail stock; Worcester sauce; salt and pepper; a good sprinkling of Shisanyama seasoning and Flippen Lekka Spice, and garlic flakes

4. Stir well and cover with a lid and let simmer for 1 and a half hours

5. Serve with rice and salad

Notes:

To substitute the Shisanyama seasoning and Flipppen Lekka Spice you could use something like a spicy barbecue spice; although the Shisanyama would be difficult to substitute as it is a truly South African spice mix with unique ingredients:) 

Neil's Waffle Recipe

Another great recipe from Neil! 

Ingredients

3/4 cup (100 g) flour 

1/4 cup (30 g) cornstarch

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (250 ml) milk

1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. 

In another bowl or large measuring jug, whisk the milk, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla together until blended

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until just mixed. Set batter aside for 10 - 15 minutes - to give the baking powder time to activate

Heat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius. 

Heat your waffle iron and pour the batter onto the heated waffle iron (about 1/2 a cup) and cook until the waffles are crisp and golden

Immediately put the cooked waffles directly on the oven rack to keep it warm and crisp

Serve with syrup/butter/jam/cheese/berries, or cream or ice cream! 

Avocado Dip

I am not sure who's recipe this is, but I found this handwritten on a piece of paper in one of my mom's cookbooks.  

3 avocado's 

125 ml mayonnaise

45 ml lemon juice

2 ml Tabasco sauce

10 ml salt

1 ml black pepper

2 cloves of garlic

10 ml onion juice

2 ml paprika

1 ml cayenne pepper

5 ml sugar

30 ml chopped chives

1. Liquidize all the ingredients except the chives, until thick and creamy

2. Garnish with chives

(Image borrowed from Pixabay)

Butternut Soup

This is the butternut soup my mom always made. She was a member of the "Fynproewersgilde" in Stellenbosch and this is where this recipe comes from. Very easy to make and absolutely delicious! 

60 g butter

2 large leeks, chopped

2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks / 4 small potatoes

2 large Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and chopped *

1 kg butternut, chopped into chunks 

1 liter chicken stock

250 ml cream

salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat butter in a large pot and sauté potatoes, leeks, apples and butternut  until soft

2. Add chicken stock and heat slowly to boiling point

3. Reduce heat immediately and simmer until vegetables are just done. (About 20 min). Add salt & pepper.

4. Leave to cool a bit and liquidize; adding most of the cream

5. Add a little drizzle of cream on top just before serving

6. Garnish with fresh parsley or marjoram/oreganum when serving 

(Image borrowed from The Spruce)

NOTES & OPTIONAL IDEAS:

• Substitute the Granny Smith apples with 4 small Golden Delicious Apples
• Add a heaped tsp of curry powder & 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• Add the juice of a small lemon 
• If you can't get hold of leeks; use a bunch of spring onions / chives
• It's not crucial to peel the apples; I prefer to just chop them into pieces 

Denver Chocolate Pudding

This is my sister Landi's all time favourite chocolate pudding. It's real easy to make and absolutely divine! This original recipe makes a rather small pudding, but it's very easy to double. 

Image from "thedailydish.us"

Sift together:

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/8 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder 

Melt together over hot water:

2 TBS butter

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate OR 3 TBS cocoa powder 

Add to flour mixture

Stir in 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla essence 

Pour batter into buttered baking dish about 9 x 9 inches (22 cm x 22cm)

Over the top scatter, without mixing:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

4 TBS Cocoa 

Pour over the top 1 and a 1/2 cups cold water / coffee

Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F (180 degrees Celsius / Gas 4)