We all hope to one day cook a long with a celebrity chef and for them to hopefully approve of your take on their recipe and probably find it more delicious than theirs. Sadly, that won't be happening anytime soon. I guess they will just have to take out word for it, right?
Last year I watched Zola Nene cook with Gordon Ramsay while shooting an episode of "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted 2“. They made jeqe, a tomato, onion and chilli relish, braaied meat and fish and chakalaka. As the flavours wafted in the summer air in the KZN Midlands, I couldn't wait to taste the food. It's not everyday that you eat food cooked by a Michelin star chef and one of the most famous chefs in South Africa.
When we eventually tucked in, the chakalaka stood out. It was a perfect blend of spices that enhanced the flavour and gave the meal a kick. We were, after all, in KZN and so it being the home of spices, it was necessary for the meal to reflect that.
A few weeks ago, I was invited to cook-a-long with Zola on Zoom, while talking about her being chosen by Gordon to teach him how to cook South African food. Sadly my ingredients arrived late and so I missed out on cooking with the other invited TV reporters. What were we cooking? Zola's chakalaka. I was excited because I had enjoyed it and would loved to make it. I eventually did.
VARIATION
However, I do have a family recipe that goes a bit further than Zola's recipe. Instead of grating the carrots, we julienne them. We also add a handful of sliced mushrooms, one whole diced tomato or tomato paste. And we cut the peppers into thin slices instead of dicing them. My mum loves to recognise her veggies and I have inherited that from her. And instead of curry powder, we used curry paste, which gives it a nice kick that is not over powering at all.
Chef Zola Nene's Chakalaka (Serves 4)
Ingredients
2 Tbs oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/4 yellow pepper, diced
1/4 green pepper, diced
2 garlic gloves, chopped
1Tbs grated fresh ginger (easy on the ginger as its very overpowering)
1 Tbs curry powder (or more, depending how spicy you like your chakalaka)
2 carrots, grated (or julienned. It adds amazing texture to the chakalaka)
1 tin baked beans
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat oil, then sauté onion, peppers, garlic and ginger until soft. Add curry powder then sauté for a minute. Add carrots and baked beans. Stir together then add the water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.