Breakfast might be the first meal of the day, but lunch is equally as important.
If you need inspiration for your midday meal, then this kasi-inspired lerotse amagwinya recipe by Nthabiseng Ramaboa, aka Chef Nti, is what you need.
Ramaboa developed the recipe as part of Nederburg’s much-loved red blend the Baronne’s 50th-anniversary celebration.
This blend, which is a combination of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, launched in 1973 and remains a great Mzansi favourite.
In developing the recipe, Ramaboa has been inspired by the wine’s succulent, smooth spiciness and mouth-filling palate to develop a suite of new-generation, street-style dishes.
Lerotse amagwinya
Lerotse is an orange-fleshed type of melon used for cooking and amagwinya are vetkoeks.
Ingredients
Lerotse purée
1 cup cubed lerotse (or cantaloupe melon as a substitute)
Amagwinya
1 cup self-raising flour
½ cup plain whole milk yoghurt or vanilla yoghurt
⅓ cup lerotse purée (or cantaloupe melon purée as a substitute)
Vegetable or olive oil for frying
Coconut atchar mousse
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup vegetable atchar
½ cup coconut milk
Lemon sugar
2 cups granulated sugar
2 lemons
Lerotse chutney
1 tbs olive oil
3 cups lerotse (or cantaloupe melon as a substitute)
2 red onions
1 lime, grated peel, and juice
1 thumb-size knob of fresh ginger, grated
150ml apple cider vinegar
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
200g sugar
1 fresh chilli
2 dried chilis
Method
Lerotse purée
Bring a large pot filled with about ¼ full of water to a vigorous boil. Add in enough lerotse (or cantaloupe melon) to fill the pot, and then cover.
When the volume reduces, add more, and continue this process until all the lerotse (or cantaloupe melon) pieces have been added into the pot.
Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for about half an hour, or until the lerotse (or cantaloupe melon) can be whisked to a smooth consistency.
Lerotse has a neutral flavour when raw, but it imparts a unique flavour to the dish when cooked.
Drain any water, add to the blender, make into a fine purée, and set aside.
Amagwinya
Add oil to a medium saucepan, about 5cm. Bring to medium heat, around 170ºC. In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, yoghurt, and lerotse purée (see method below). Mix with a spatula until yoghurt and flour are fully mixed.
The dough should be sticky. Once the oil has reached the correct temperature, scoop the dough using an ice cream scoop. Smooth the surface of the scoop, removing any excess dough (this helps to keep the dough ball round).
Gently release the dough ball into the heated oil. Repeat with the remaining dough. Amagwinya will float to the surface, so only put in enough to fill the surface area. If they sink and get stuck to the bottom of the pan, make sure to quickly release them from the bottom with a kitchen frying utensil.
Cook amagwinya until golden brown, flipping halfway through. Remove from oil and place onto a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
Coconut atchar mousse
Add atchar to a blender, with the olive oil and coconut milk. Blend until very smooth and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes). If necessary, add more coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time (or olive oil ½ tablespoon at a time) until frothy. Serve warm.
Lerotse chutney
Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat and gently fry the chopped onion together with lime (zest and juice) and the spices. Let it cook for 10 minutes and then add the lerotse (or cantaloupe melon) in cubes.
Let it cook for another 10 minutes, mixing now and then. Add the vinegar and sugar and let cook slowly for an hour. Pour into clean glass containers, close the lids, and let it cool upside down.
Store in a cool, dark, and dry place. Will conserve for at least two years. Let it rest for two weeks before use.
Lemon sugar
Wash and dry the lemons. Carefully remove the zest (skin), using a serrated vegetable peeler. Remove only the bright yellow part, not the bitter white pith underneath. Put the sugar and zest in a food processor and pulse to combine.
Then process until the zest is fully incorporated into the sugar. This will take under a minute. Take a look – the sugar should be fragrant, moist, and pale yellow. If you see chunks of zest, process a little longer. Fine bits of zest are fine.
Use sugar right away for the freshest flavour, or store it in a ziplock freezer bag in the refrigerator and use it promptly.
To serve
Place the aMagwinya in a little heap, drizzle with the lemon sugar, and serve with lerotse chutney and coconut atchar mousse presented in individual bowls and paired with the Baronne 2022.