With the peanuts and spices, I guess these kebabs are the African equivalent of Indonesian satay. Except here the peanuts are ground to a powder and rubbed all over the meat rather than turned into a dipping sauce. The chicken stock cube may seem like an odd addition, but it’s really authentic and suya just
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Nigerian jollof rice is said to be the precursor of the Creole classic jambalaya, and like jambalaya it can contain a wide variety of vegetables and meat, more like a paella. However, this version is pared down to its roots: just red peppers and tomatoes puréed with a few spices in which to cook the
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Meet the amazing South African Gatsby sarnie – an Indian-spiced barbecued steak, chip and cheese concoction, all squished into a long baguette made for sharing. You could, in theory, add a little salad as a slightly lame nod to health, but in this double-carb meat feast I think it would pretty much miss the point.
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Bunny chow is simply a hollow bread roll stuffed with curry – not made with real bunny, but with tender pieces of stewed lamb. In its native South Africa it is often spooned into large hollowed-out loaves of bread, which are designed to be eaten with your hands – quite a challenge, even for the
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Masala pineapples are so simple – they are literally chunks of ripe, juicy fruit rolled in a special masala spice blend and threaded on to a kebab stick. If you’ve ever been by the beach in Durban, South Africa, where they are sold on numerous street carts, you’ll know the fruit and spice combination makes
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Melktert – literally ‘milk tart’ in Afrikaans – is a delicious cinnamon-topped custard pie that is hugely popular across South Africa. Not limited to street eating, it’s often baked at home, to a recipe passed down through generations, and is also served in bakeries across the land as a delicious snack. I make it in
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Dholl puri are lovely nutritious flatbreads with a thin filling of ground split peas. Cooked until soft and still wrappable, they are the classic accompaniment to this butterbean curry. On the streets of Mauritius they are the number-one street food, and quite right too. Delicious, vegetarian and healthy – what’s not to love?
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Seekh kebabs are made with finely processed minced meat so they have a smooth, almost pâté-like texture. Traditionally made in Pakistan with lamb, but beef mince works brilliantly too, if you prefer.
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For westerners, these Pakistani kebabs are unusual in that the mince is cooked before being shaped into patties. The trick to ensuring they hold their shape is to make sure the mince mixture is cooked until it is completely dry before puréeing and shaping. These can be made with minced lamb or beef, depending on
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