A winning potjie recipe is a must-have in a South African’s recipe book. This dish combines veggies and meat in a unique manner to produce a truly ”lekker” family meal.
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Ingredients
Pot:
1 kg beef shin (bone-in), cut into blocks
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp of oil for frying
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup beef stock (vegetable for a vegetarian option)
1 tsp cornflour
2 cups Rugani 100% Carrot Juice
8 baby onions, peeled (Increase to 10 for vegetable-based potjie)
4 large carrots (Increase to 6 for vegetable-based potjie)
8 baby potatoes (Increase to 8 for vegetable-based potjie)
Optional: Add 500g spinach for vegetable-based
Dumplings:
500 g cake flour
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml) salt
100 g butter
100 g cheddar, grated
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh rosemary, chopped
250 ml cold water
Pumpkin slices:
750-800 g pumpkin, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method
Method for the pot:
- Start a fire until you have some red hot coals and push some aside.
- Season your meat with salt and black pepper, then add to the potjie that has been heated over the fire until smoking hot and fry until golden brown.
- Remove the meat and keep aside.
- Add a teaspoon of oil to the potjie add the onions and fry the onion until golden.
- Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and cinnamon, and fry for another minute.
- Add the meat and bones to the pot, and then pour in the Rugani 100% Carrot Juice and the stock. Simmer with the lid on for 1 hour.
- Mix the cornflour with the water then add it to the pot, along with the carrots and baby onions. Carefully stir until well combined.
- Place the lid on the potjie and cook for another 50 minutes. Do not stir at all during this time.
Method for the dumplings:
- While the pot has started cooking prepare the dumplings. Sift the four, baking powder and salt together.
- Rub the butter in with your fingertips or a food processor, then add the cheddar and herbs. Add the water and mix until you have a stiff dough.
- Roll the dough into small balls, about the size of a golf ball. Place on top of the meat and vegetables and cook for 30 minutes with the lid on, until the dumplings are ready.
- To brown the dumplings place some coals on top of the lid of potjie for 10 minutes or until they are browned.
Method for the pumpkin:
- While the potjie is cooking, pre-heat oven to 200 ℃.
- Place the pumpkin in a baking tray.
- Drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until soft and the edges turn brown.
- Serve warm with potjie and dumplings.
