Sascha's recipe: South African Potjiekos

Our colleague Sascha is originally from South Africa. She is willing to share a traditiona SA-recipe: Potjiekos.

A potjie is the pinnacle of all braai (BBQ) cuisine, it is what the south African boerman (Afrikaaner) works his way up to his whole life: The Perfect Potjiekos! This is the reason why my family reunions always manage to include a potjiekos competition. Parts of the family from different provinces are allocated a type of meat to include in their potjie. Typical choices include lamb, beef, wild boar or springbuck- the  more exotic the better, which is how we ended up with a crocodile potjie! After a full day of preparations and “braaing”, the potjies are ready to be judged. Each member of our family gets to have a taste of all the potjies and have their say. This is when it really gets heated. There is no prize for the winner, other than bragging rights of course!

Experienced potjie chefs all share a few of the same attributes - they are excessively possessive of their fire, ensuring that it is never directly under the potjie pot but close enough to ensure the pot stays warm, and they are dead set against the idea of a stirring a spoon! To stir a potjie is to end the world as we know it! In order to ensure the best flavor experience, a potjie pot must be lined with oil and then the ingredients should be added according to the length of time they take to cook. The ingredients, such as meat, potatoes and carrots, which take the longest are layered at the bottom of the pot. Once these are settled in, you can then add more layers of veggies. Never stir! Add plenty, plenty wine or the famous OBS (Old Brown Sherry) and close the lid. Inside the pot it will become a steam room. The potjie is now left on the fire for a good 6 hours or longer. This is the time to “Kaier”. Kaier is the term used to describe hanging out with friends and family in a relaxed, warm and welcoming manner.

Now for the part you have been waiting for… The Recipe.
This recipe is originally from my aunt, Gaedry Graaff, who lives on and owns a wine farm, hint the extra pinotage being added to the pot! Blombos is a wildlife farm on the coast and is where they have their holiday house. This is usually where meals like this are enjoyed.