After making it to the Miss South Africa top 30, the ladies competing to make it to the top 10 shared their hobbies. Two of them enjoy cooking, and with the cold weather we are currently experiencing in South Africa, you can try out their recipes to keep warm.
Zimi Mabunzi, who hails from eQonce in the Eastern Cape, enjoys making local dishes such as umphokoqo (pap and sour milk) and umngqusho (samp), two of her favourites.
Mabunzi says she got her love for cooking from her sister, Yolisa.
Zimi Mabunzi’s Umngqusho (samp) & Beef Stew
For the Samp & Beans
1 cup of samp
¼ cup of beans
A full pot of water
1 beef stock cube
Aromat
1 tsp of Holsum fat (optional but makes it super yum!)
Method
Cook the samp and beans in the water until soft and edible. Then add the stock cube, Aromat and fat and cook for about 3 hours.
For the Beef Stew
1kg stewing beef
1 tbsp of oil
1 onion, chopped
2 red peppers, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp mother-in-Law spice (or more if you like your stew hot!)
1 tbsp chutney
1 cube of beef stock
1 tbsp paprika
Add oil to a pot, and over medium heat brown the beef. Remove the meat and, in the same pot, add the onion, peppers, garlic and beef stock and cook until the onion is soft.
Then add the salt to taste, paprika, mother-in-law-spice, chutney and a generous amount of water and cook – stirring regularly - until meat is tender.
Eloïse van der Westhuizen from Panorama, Cape Town, is also a foodie of note. One of her favourite winter dishes is her chicken and coconut curry, which she calls her “curry in a hurry”
Eloïse van der Westhuizen’s Chicken and Coconut Curry
Ingredients
4 free-range skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-size pieces
3 tbsp coconut oil
400ml coconut cream
300ml organic chicken stock
½ onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp paprika
3 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
Salt to taste
Chilli, finely chopped (optional)
A handful of fresh coriander chopped for serving
Method
Heat a large pot over high heat and add coconut oil.
Add chicken breasts and sauté until golden brown, remove from the pot and set aside.
Sauté the onion in the same pot until they are soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and spices and fry for 30 seconds, then add the chicken back to the pot.
Pour in the coconut cream and chicken stock.
Lower the heat and allow the curry to cook for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Add the lime juice and season to taste.
Garnish with fresh coriander and chilli (optional).
