From Cape Malay cuisine to traditional Afrikaans and Zulu dishes …. Warren Mendes shows off SA’s vibrant flavours and diverse dishes.
“My earliest memories of food don’t actually involve dishes, they involve people,” says Warren Mendes. “Memories of Mum crafting an endless banquet for family and friends and Dad proudly manning the braai.” It was after he and his family left Sandton in South Africa, moving to Australia, that ‘food became a great way to hold onto our roots, to quell the moments of homesickness and bond us together during early solitary holiday moments’. After school, Warren studied accounting and economics, but realising food was his passion, applied for cooking school at Le Cordon Bleu, training in Sydney, Paris and London. Then there was a jump from freelancer to food editor of Delicious magazine, as well as writing recipes, styling food, creating content and collaborating with foodies like Matt Preston.
And then, after a serendipitous conversation on the back of an open-air safari vehicle in Kruger while on a media jaunt, came the dream of The Food Trail South Africa … which turned into a ten-part series showcasing the food of South Africa. During the second season, he decided on creating this book too … a collection of dishes that pull at the heartstrings of South Africans wherever they are in the world. “When I take my first bite of a silky slice of milk tart, I am suddenly standing at my favourite bakery in Johannesburg as a child”, he says. The book opens with his favourite recipes … bobotie, bunny chow, koeksisters, and then it’s just page after magnificently illustrated page of Joburg tempura and Durban fattoush and Kalahari pistachio and honey tart, samp and mushroom risotto, pampoenkoekies with salted caramel. Sublime photographs taken while filming complete the appeal.
Lamb samoosa pie
‘A samoosa is such a popular South African snack or entrée to a meal, so why not turn it into the main event as a pie? Individual samoosas are fried and have crispy pastry, so I have made a very easy crumbly pastry for the large pie to resemble the crunch, but you could use store bought puff pastry (but I promise, this pastry is worth it). This recipe takes inspiration from a similar recipe I’ve cooked with Matt Preston.’ Serves 4 – 6
You’ll need: 1 1/2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil; 2 tsp panch phoron (or ½ tsp each fennel seed, cumin seed, mustard seed, nigella, fenugreek); 1 onion, sliced; 500g lamb mince; 2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces; 3 garlic cloves; 1/3 cup curry paste (like madras); 1 1/2 cups frozen peas; 2 tbsp plain flour; 1 tbsp white wine or apple cider vinegar; thick yoghurt swirled with chutney and mint leaves to serve.
Cheat’s Puff Pastry: 2 1/2 cups (375g) plain flour, plus extra to dust; 250g unsalted butter, frozen; 1 cup (250ml) very cold water; 1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash; panch phoron to scatter.
To make: For the pastry, place the flour in a large bowl and coarsely grate over the frozen butter. Use your fingers to combine. Add the iced water and 2 tsp salt and bring the dough together. Once the dough has just come together, and there are still visible lumps of butter, wrap in clingfilm and chill until needed.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Heat the ghee and 2 tsp panch phoron in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute then add the lamb mince and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned. Add the potato to the pan and cook for 4 – 5 minutes until starting to brown. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook, stirring, for 2 – 3 minutes then add the peas, flour and stir to combine, then add 1/2 cup water. Cook for a further 3 – 4 minutes until thickened then stir through the vinegar. Remove from the heat and cool completely then chill to firm up.
Divide the pastry with one piece slightly larger than the other. Roll the smaller piece into a 30cm square then place on a lined large baking tray. Roll the larger piece into a 34cm square (wider than the base too). Add the chilled filling to the smaller piece, leaving a 2cm border around the edges, then brush the edges with a little egg wash. Top with larger pastry and press the edges together to seal and use a fork to press down and join. Trim any excess pastry. Brush with remaining egg wash, scatter with some more of the panch phoron whole spices and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile combine the yoghurt, chutney and mint and chill until needed. Serve with the pie.
Tip: Substitute the lamb mince for beef or pork mince if you want a different flavour. The curry paste can be substituted with 2 tbsp Mendes Masala or curry powder.
Watch The Food Trail South Africa on Food Network (DStv), and buy the book at your local bookstore (Penguin, R580).
