SA Recipes Potjiekos

Making Potjiekos !

Origin story:

Rumour has it: This was brought in by Dutch explorers who arrived at the Cape Town in 1652.

Then over time, the dish started to incorporate new spices brought in from the Dutch East India Company, and took on the name Potjiekos (“small pot food”), using a small three-pronged cast-iron pot called a potjie pot, and cooked over an open fire.

Ingredients :

What do you need ?

45 ml oil
15 ml butter
6 chicken drumsticks and 6 thighs each
2 onions
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
2 garlic cloves, crushed
250 ml chicken stock
250g mushrooms
6 courgettes
1 baby corn punnet
5 fresh sage leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs
250 ml cream
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

How is it made?

Over the fire, heat the oil and butter in the potjie. Brown the chicken pieces and remove. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté until soft. Add chicken back to the pot followed by the chicken stock, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.

After the hour, add the veggies and herbs, cover with the lid and top up the fire with 3–4 hot coals (this provides even heating). Cook gently for 40 minutes – do not stir. Add the cream and gently stir it through.

Cook for a further 20 minutes and season to taste. Serve with fluffy white rice or fresh bread.

Want more recipes ?

Check out all of the other local South African dishes we have available for you to try …