Spice Doctor
A South African Cosmopolitan Spice Delight
by
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Ouma Onder Die Komberse (Grandma Under The Blankets) Serves 6 Minceballs (Kebabs) 500g mutton mince 1 tsp chopped green chilli ½ tsp pounded black peppercorns ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp chopped almonds 1 tsp crushed garlic ½ cup full cream milk 1 slice brown or white bread 1 medium cabbage Soak the bread in the milk. Add the spice and the mince and mix the ingredients well. Make golf ball sized kebabs and fry in shallow oil to harden the balls but do not cook the kebabs. Boil the outer leaves of the cabbage in lightly salted water for a few minutes. Drain and leave them to cool. Then wrap one leaf around each kebab and tie with cotton. Tomato chutney 1 onion - chopped 2 tbsp oil 4 tomatoes - grated 1 tsp crushed garlic 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp red chilli ½ tsp tumeric powder ½ tsp salt Braise the onions in the oil until it starts to turn light yellow. Add the garlic and braise for about 30 seconds. Add the tomato and the rest of the spices. Stir the tomatoes until the spice has blended in. Steam the mixture for a few minutes, then pour the chutney into a casserole dish. Pack the kebabs wrapped in cabbage on top of this chutney. Cover with a lid or foil and steam in an oven for 30 minutes on 180’. Serve with rice or rotis and sambals or mango achaar on the side. Variation : use spinach leaves instead of cabbage. Ouma Onder die Komberse Steak chutney 500g steak cut into palm-sized fillets 1 onion – chopped 2 tbsp oil 2 cinnamon sticks 2 cloves 3 cardamom pods 1 tsp crushed garlic 2 tsp ginger paste ½ tsp salt 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp red chilli ½ tsp tumeric powder 2 tomatoes ½ to 1 cup water Braise the onion with the cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves in oil until the onion is transparent. Add the steak fillets, garlic, ginger, salt and chillies. Braise this mixture well fir about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with the rest of the spices. Stir until the spice is well blended into the tomatoes and coated over the meat. Add water and allow to simmer until the steak is well cooked and tender and a thick chutney is formed. For added spice, add ¼ tsp gharham masala.Serve with rice or rotis and salad or a vegetable side dish. Saffron Cream Sauce 3tbsp milk 125ml cream ½ tsp saffron strands ½ tsp chopped green chillies 2 tbsp ground almonds ½ tsp elachi ¼ tsp salt 1 tbsp ghee Steap the saffron in hot milk, then add to the cream. Fry the green chilli and almonds in ghee briefly until the almonds start to change colour. Add the saffron cream and rest of the spices to the pan. Serve with roasts, or steak boiled in water with cinnamon and salt.
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About the Book
Spice Doctor is an enticing collection of the flavorsome delights enjoyed across cultures in cosmopolitan South Africa. It draws from the diverse heritage of South Africa, showcasing the spicy favorites of the country. Over 145 recipes feature the popular cuisine of South African Indian, Cape Malay, African, Afrikaner, Chinese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Mexican as enjoyed in South Africa. Ingredients are readily available and the recipes are simple to follow and easy to use. Dr. Khan’s vision as a cook as well as a medical doctor is the bringing together of people around the dining table—from nuclear families as well as extended families, friends, and the close community at large—as part of healthy and holistic living. She believes that the addition of spice to one’s diet enhances the promotional and preventative health benefits of food. This is a fantastic collection of food and treats catering for breakfast, lunch, supper, and special occasions, and for small and large gatherings. The book is enhanced by full-colored photographs throughout.
About the Author
Dr. Aneesa Khan is a South African medical doctor. She studied medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, graduating in 2001. She practices as a general practitioner, and her current special interests are medical aesthetics, integrative healthcare, and clinical rehabilitation. Through her research into anti-ageing and integrative healthcare, she realized that incorporating spice into one’s diet has potential preventative and promotional health benefits. She grew up in an Indian dominant area called Lenasia, close to Johannesburg, previously zoned for Indians only by the previous apartheid government. She was surrounded by a culture where women made a home by cooking for their families and extended families, entertaining guests regularly, but especially on special occasions and religious holidays. Families were close and sociable and food treats were shared with family and neighbors, especially during the month of Ramadan and on the festivals of Eid. Despite being of Indian descent, she was exposed through her parents’ friends and later on through her diverse associations as a student and adult, to a wide range of food styles. These include Indian, Chinese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Cape Malay, Afrikaner, and African. It was when her children were born that she was motivated to learn more about nutrition and cooking. And so her cookbook was eventually created. Dr. Aneesa Khan believes that it is an essential part of holistic and healthy living for families to share daily meals together and for extended families and friends to meet regularly around the dining room table. Cooking is an essential skill and eating is one of the best forms of entertainment. Healthy homemade meals keep us away from junk foods and help to maintain the health and well-being of individuals and families.