South Africans are known for their infamous cooking and cuisine. After all, where else in the world could you eat fifteen types of meat straight off an open fire, served with at least twenty salads and four types of bread, all in one sitting? Okay, maybe only five salads and two types of bread but the meat choices are definitely not an exaggeration! Of course, our cuisine is also heavily accented with flavours from Ouma’s kombuis, those tasty morsels otherwise known as proper Saffa-style boerekos!
What is boerekos?
Boerekos, directly translated from Afrikaans, means farmer’s food. Think of a lekker Sunday dinner, then add lashings of starch (rice and potatoes), heaps of meat (at least two varieties!), and a huge selection of vegetables (all kinds but especially carrots and pumpkin). And there you have it, the perfect plate of boerekos!
Of course, boerekos isn’t only Sunday dinner; it’s probably more accurate to say that it is a term used to describe proper home-cooked food without all the fancy falderols (frills)! Furthermore, boerekos is part of our heritage, the food of our fellow countrymen, who speak our language (11 official but 35 in total!), understand our weird South African jokes, and love eating biltong! So, yes, boerekos is definitely traditional South African food; it’s a roots thing!
Who is Annelien Pienaar?
As a Saffa based abroad, you probably regularly crave tantalizing boerekos foods, or perhaps you cook your own boerekos all the time but want a fresh spin on it. If this is you, then Annelien Pienaar is a name you need to familiarise yourself with!
Food science lecturer, food blogger, bakery and cheese factory consultant, and trained in the art of French cuisine are some of the many accolades attached to Annelien Pienaars’ name! You may wonder what she has to do with boerekos, and the answer is simple, she is also the author of ‘Boerekos met n twist,’ a delectable cookbook that has been on our shelves since 2017.
The ‘Boerekos met n twist’ book is filled with simple boerekos recipes with just a little extra zap of pizzazz or, rather, twist! If you’re feeling a little homesick and craving some boerekos, you might be thinking about how to get your chef’s paws on this book, especially if you’re based far from the African sun. That’s easy! The book is available internationally via suppliers like World of Books, Saarkie Stories, Amazon UK, Book Depository, Takealot.com, and more! Also, check out Annelien Pienaars website for free recipes and online classes.
Boerekos met n twist recipe
It wouldn’t be a FinGlobal blog without a recipe. So let’s dive into a huge helping of ‘boerekos met ‘n twist’ using an Annelien Pienaars’ inspired recipe for kondensmelk brood (condensed milk bread)!
What you need for the bread
- 175 g Nestle condensed milk
- 500 ml milk
- 10 g instant yeast
- 10 ml salt
- ½ cup butter (unsalted)
- 2 x eggs (large)
- 980 g cake flour
- ¼ cup white sugar
What you need for the glaze
- 50 ml Nestle condensed milk
- 50 ml unsalted butter
What to do for the bread
- Sift the dry ingredients (cake flour, yeast, salt, sugar) together in a large mixing bowl.
- Next, use a whisk to combine the condensed milk, milk, and egg.
- Use your fist or a large spoon to make a well/ indent in the dry ingredients, and slowly add the condensed milk mixture.
- Add the butter, and gently knead the mixture with your hands until it forms a soft dough. This process may take a little time as the dough might become crumbly at first; continue to knead it until it sticks together again.
- Place the dough in a warm area of the kitchen and allow it to rest for an hour. This will give it time to rise/proof. However, Annelien mentions it might take a little longer to rise as it is a rich, heavy dough.
- When the dough has increased in size (doubled), tip it onto a clean, floured surface and divide it into four equal portions.
- Use a rolling pin to roll each portion out into an oblong shape (+/- 30cm long and wide) and then roll it up.
- Slice each roll into 7 or 8 equal portions and pack them into well-greased half-loaf pans.
- Pop the pans into a preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes at 180 C.
What to do for the glaze
- Melt the butter and condensed milk in a small pan to form a nice glaze.
- Once the bread has finished baking, remove it from the oven and baste immediately with the condensed milk glaze.
The final crumb
Boerekos, while infamous for its simplicity and heerlike taste, wouldn’t be quite so wonderful without the tradition of a lekker kuier. There’s something very special about sharing good food with those we love while laughing and chatting around the kombuis table! In fact, at FinGlobal, we like to say that boerekos always needs two additional ingredients no matter what resep you decide to make, friends and family. Just don’t forget the gravy!
Expert advice from FinGlobal to you!
FinGlobal, like boerekos, provides expats with good quality, expert emigration advice throughout their emigration journey. If you’re looking for sound advice that meets your bespoke emigration needs, FinGlobal is the team to trust!
Our services include advice on tax, pensions, South African retirement annuities, forex, and more, including what boerekos to cook! At FinGlobal, we guarantee professional, accredited advice founded on more than ten years in the emigration industry. Contact FinGlobal today to discuss your immigration needs.
To discuss your unique needs with our team, simply get in touch with us. Give us a call on +27 28 312 2764 or send us an email at info@finglobal.com, and we will assist you promptly.