By Fatima Sydow
Blurb
In this book, Fatima Sydow takes us on a nostalgic journey through the memories of the many important feasts celebrated in her Cape Malay culture, starting with old-school family favourites she remembers from her upbringing on the Cape Flats.
There are also stories of Ramadaan, Labarang, a wedding in the community, and fond recollections of the festive season. Her memories are interwoven with recipes for salt and pepper chicken, bean curry, Ramadaan boeka plates, Labarang sweet treats and desserts, as well as her ultimate braai ideas.
About the author
Sydow is a cook and former caterer. She loves people and uses her cooking to bring them together. Sydow’s Facebook page, where she shares her recipes, has gained her a massive following across the world. She and her twin sister, Gadija, have a cooking show on Via, DSTV 147, called ‘Kaap, Kerrie & Koesisters’.
Extract
MEMORIES OF RAMADAAN
In the late afternoon during the month of Ramadaan, my mother would call us to the kitchen to help her with preparing what would be eaten that evening to break our fast.
And every night, without fail, it was – and still is to this day – a simple split-pea and vegetable soup with marrow bones. Not a meal like curry and rice, just soup and cakes and savouries. I fondly called them the usual suspects: daltjies (chilli bites), fritters, bollas, pancakes, samoosas, koesisters – almost all of them laden with spices. Imagine the aromas filling the kitchen – actually the entire neighbourhood – as we prepared the treats!
We lived on the Cape Flats and times were tough, but during this holy month of Ramadaan the community always pulled together. The tradition of taking small plates of something sweet or savoury to your neighbours, known in the Cape Muslim community as boeka plates, was born from the sincere consideration that this would ensure that they had something to break their fast with, for we do not know the circumstances of another and if they have food to eat at night. This in essence created a strong sense of community and togetherness.
We were eight people in our house: Mom, Dad, five sisters and one brother. We each had a specific task to do; a few would make the food and the others would take the boeka treats to the neighbours.
We even took cakes to our cousins, a nice 20-minute walk away ... I can hear it now, the neighbourhood moms ushering the children along, “Maak gou! Maak gou, is amper boeka tyd, dek die tafel!” (Hurry, hurry, it’s almost boeka time, set the table!)
Times have changed. Most moms work now and find it difficult to uphold these traditions, no matter how much they might want to recall the wonderful memories of the customs they grew up with. As we have grown older, we have successfully managed to keep the Cape Town Ramadaan traditions alive with our own children and in our neighbourhood, not an easy task in this modern era ... but we do it.
The midpoint of the month-long fast is a milestone celebrated with boeber, a sweet and warm spiced-milk dessert traditionally made and served on the evening of the 15th day of fasting. It’s even known as boeber night! And everyone gets their share, including our non-Muslim neighbours.
It’s a great thing about our unique culture here in Cape Town that not only could we make something so tasty from the little we had, but that the table would be so filled with treats … only a few of which had been made by the family, the rest all having been sent by the neighbours. I firmly believe that these gestures of sharing and kindness made me who I am today.
My message is this: no matter how we try to recreate the past, no day is the same as yesterday or 30 years ago. The most important thing is to start the day, any day of the year – not only in Ramadaan – with the sincerest of intentions. In this way, the new memories we create today will be cherished for all eternity.
* ‘Cape Malay Cooking My story, my heritage’ is published by Human & Rousseau, an imprint of NB Publishers and is available in book stores at R395.
Recipes
Boeber
Serves 4-6
A bowl full of milky sweet goodness, traditionally served on the 15th day of Ramadaan to celebrate the halfway mark of 30 days of fasting. What a treat. It’s a special night, as the rest of the month we normally just have vegetable soup. I love my boeber on the thicker side and any leftovers we share with our neighbours. We aptly call it “boeber night”.
Ingredients
– 45 ml (3 tbsp) butter
– 375 ml (1½ cups) crushed vermicelli or lokshen pasta
– five cinnamon sticks
– five cardamom pods
– 150 g (¾ cup) sago soaked in water for 1 hour and drained
– a pinch of salt
– One litre (4 cups) milk
– 125 ml (½ cup) sugar (or add more to suit your taste)
1. In a large pot, heat the butter on a medium heat and add the pasta, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. Cook until the pasta has turned a golden brown, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
NOTE: Roasted almonds, seedless sultanas and rose water can be added if desired. You can also replace the sugar with the same amount of condensed milk. If the boeber is too thick for your liking, simply add a little milk. To make it even more decadent, a can of evaporated milk can be added as well. Adjust the sweetness to your taste.
Cocktail Naan Rolls
The flavour of the aniseed subtly tempts you to take another bite. Spread a roll thick with butter, add my favourite pairing, a mature Cheddar cheese, and some red onion. Enjoy it with a hot cup of tea or coffee and you have an early Sunday evening treat, leaving you satisfied, overjoyed and ready to be coaxed into dreamland.
Makes 18
Ingredients
Rolls
– 125 ml (4½ cups) flour
– one packet (10 g) instant yeast
– 30 ml (2 tbsp) castor sugar
– 7.5 ml (1½ tsp) salt
– 5 ml (1 tsp) ground fennel
– Two eggs
– 80 g butter, melted
– 250 ml (1 cup) lukewarm milk
To bake
– 1 egg, whisked, for egg wash
– Sesame or poppy seeds, to sprinkle on top
ROLLS: Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place all the roll ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 90 minutes.
Grease a rectangular baking sheet with butter. Once the dough is ready, shape it into round rolls and place 2 cm apart on the sheet. Cover with a tea towel. Leave to prove until double in size.
TO BAKE: Brush with egg wash and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
Half-moons with chicken and cheese filling
After a samoosa, a delicious half-moon is the next best thing. I have to contain my excitement as they cool off after frying and I can never just eat one. They are ideal to make ahead and freeze, so when I have unexpected visitors I simply take them out and fry from frozen. Onto a pretty plate they go with a chutney or sauce on the side, although I like to eat them just so.
Serves 8 – 10
Ingredients
– 80 g butter
– 625 ml (2½ cups) water
– 500 ml (2 cups) flour
– 2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
Filling
– 30 ml (2 tbsp) oil
– 1 small onion, finely chopped
– 2 chicken fillets, chopped into very small cubes
2- cloves garlic, finely chopped
– Salt to taste
– 250 ml (1 cup) mixed vegetables, chopped
– 5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric
– 15 ml (1tbsp) roasted masala
– 15 ml (1tbsp) mustard powder
– 5 ml (1tsp) chilli powder
– 125ml (½ cup) fresh coriander, chopped
– 250 ml (1 cup) Cheddar cheese, grated
– Zest of 1 lemon
To cook
– 375 ml (1½ cups) milk
– 500 ml (2 cups) breadcrumbs
– Oil, for deep-frying
– In a saucepan, bring the butter and water to a boil. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the flour and salt until the mixture forms a soft ball. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes.
FILLING: Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and sauté until golden brown. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the coriander, cheese and lemon zest. Braise for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Transfer to a bowl and add the coriander, cheese and lemon zest and mix well.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough and cut out circles with a large round cookie cutter. Spoon the filling on to the centre of the circles. Brush the edges with water. Fold over to make a half-moon and press the edges closed with a fork.
TO COOK: Dip in the milk and then in the breadcrumbs. Place on a greased baking sheet, cover with a tea towel and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Deep-fry the half-moons until golden brown on both sides.
Hearty chicken soup
This is my go-to winter soup that I make when the cold weather starts to set in and the chill creeps through anything and everything. One bowl of this hearty, delicious soup will turn the grey of winter into a summery warmth that reaches every part of your body. I love soup so much that one bowl is not enough for this sopkop (soup head).
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients
– 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil
– ½ onion, chopped
– 1 carrot, diced
– 2 celery sticks, chopped
– 2 sprigs thyme
– 3 sprigs parsley
– 1 nub of ginger, thinly sliced
– 1 clove garlic, chopped
– 1 bay leaf
– ½ star anise (optional)
– Black pepper, to taste
– Pinch of turmeric
– 4 pieces of chicken (leftover chicken works well in this recipe)
– 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
Heat the oil in a pot on medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme, parsley, ginger, garlic, bay leaf and star anise (if using) and fry for about 5 to 8 minutes. Season with black pepper.
Add the turmeric and stir. Add the chicken pieces and a little water. Add the chicken stock and leave it to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and shred the meat off the bone. Remove the thyme, parsley and star anise from the pot as well. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and season to taste. Serve with naan rolls or bread.