The best sides to serve at the braai table

Avocado braai salad. Picture: Supplied

Avocado braai salad. Picture: Supplied

Published Sep 20, 2024

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A widespread South African practice. called “braai”, involves grilling or cooking over coals or an open flame. While the meat at a braai is frequently the star of the show, the sides and salads can be just as crucial in completing the meal.

Some suggestions for mouthwatering braai sides and salads to serve at your upcoming braai:

Avocado braai salad. Picture: Supplied

Avocado braai salad

Serves: 4-6

Dressing ingredients

¼ cup honey

¼ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup poppy seeds

Salad ingredients

1 red onion, sliced

6 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced

2 naartjies, broken into segments

100g caramelised pecan nuts

Method

Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a screw-top bottle. Shake to combine.

In a small bowl, marinate the red onion in the dressing for 5 to 10 minutes.

Arrange the avocado, naartjies and nuts on a platter and pour the dressing and marinated onions over the salad. Serve immediately.

Recipe from South African Avocado Growers’ Association.

Sharmeen Inarman’s cornbread. Picture: Supplied

Sharmeen Inarman’s cornbread

Ingredients

1 can sweetcorn or 2 grated mealies

2 eggs

250g butter

250g cheddar

Chopped chillies to taste

Salt to taste

1.5 cup self-raising flour

Milk if required

Method

Combine all the ingredients into a firm batter.

Bake at 170ºC for 30 to 45 minutes.

Siba Mtongana’s potato salad. Picture: Supplied

Siba Mtongana’s potato salad

Ingredients

1kg Jersey Royals or Cornish New potatoes

4 tbs mayonnaise

2 tbs wholegrain mustard

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

½ lemon juice

Salad onions, finely sliced

8 pickled cucumbers, chopped

1 tbs Cooks’ Ingredients Nonpareille Capers, drained

25g pack fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped

20g pack fresh tarragon, leaves finely chopped

Method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, oil and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Drain the potatoes, reserving 2 tablespoons of cooking liquid, and leave to steam for a couple of minutes. Halve the warm potatoes and add to the mayonnaise mixture with the reserved cooking water. Toss to combine then set aside to cool.

Once cool, stir through the remaining ingredients and season to taste.

Angela Day’s biltong garlic scrolls. Picture: Supplied

Angela Day’s biltong garlic scrolls

Makes: 16-18

Ingredients

Filling

125g butter, softened

15ml chopped garlic

250ml finely grated biltong

125ml chopped parsley

Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Dough

4 x 250ml flour

10g sachet instant yeast

15ml sugar

10ml salt

45ml olive oil

300-400ml warm water

Method

Filling

Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

Dough

Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl.

Add the olive oil and enough warm water to make a dough that is soft but not sticky.

Knead the dough well, until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough into an oiled plastic bag and set aside in a warm place to rise.

When the dough has risen, remove it from the bag and roll it out into a rectangle about 40x20cm.

Spread with the filling. Roll up from the long side to form a log.

Cut the log into about 3cm thick slices and pack into a well-greased oven pan.

Cover and set aside to rise for 20 to 30 minutes.

Bake at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and baked through.

Remove from the oven and turn on a cooling rack. Delicious served warm.

Recipe by the South African Poultry Association.

Microwave volcano mealie bread. Picture: Supplied

Microwave volcano mealie bread

Serves: 8

Ingredients

420g tin cream-style sweetcorn

2 eggs

tbs sunflower oil

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

2 cups self-raising flour

1 cup cheddar, grated

Method

Combine the sweetcorn, eggs, oil, sugar and salt. Stir in the flour. Pour into a 21cm silicon ring cake mould.

Microwave for about 8 minutes or until a testing skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. Turn the bread out onto a microwave-safe serving dish.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the bread and into the centre. Microwave for about 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Serving suggestions: Use a blowtorch to char the melted cheese, if you like. Enjoy as a braai side or serve with butter, tomato-chilli jam and jammy eggs as a starter.