Oranje Blanje Blou

 

Flag of 1928-1994
Following the Union of South Africa , that is the joining if the former colonies of Natal, Cape, Transvaal and Orange River on 31 May 1910, South Africa used defaced red and blue ensigns. Having suffered defeat in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), many South Africans particularly of Boer extraction found these flags unacceptable. Discussions about a new flag had taken place from time to time but were interrupted by such pressing issues as World War I and achieving Dominion Status within the British Empire etc. and it was only in 1925 that the matter began to receive renewed attention. The Balfour Declaration adopted at the Imperial Conference of 1926 defined in general terms the mutual constitutional relationship of the self-governing members of the British Empire (later Commonwealth) whereby Great Britain and the dominions were “equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another” and as such South Africa, as an independent state was entitled to a flag of its own. The flag issue in South Africa was also considered along with the question of nationality.

The issue of inclusion of the Union Jack proved to be a very emotional subject, with the English-speakers on the one side demanding its inclusion and the Afrikaners (Boers) seeing its a symbol of British imperialism demanding it be excluded! A number of proposals were put forward but it was not until the Princevlag design based on the House of Orange that consensus began to emerge. This design was based on the commonly held view that Jan van Riebeeck has raised an orange, white and blue horizontal tricolour when he arrived at the Cape in April 1652. The original design had a quartered shield in the centre, each quarter having a symbol to represent the territories making up the Union. Various other designs were submitted to a Parliamentary Committee which had been established to resolve the issue but none found favour.
Read on this link HERE more and it is really worth visiting…very extensive site with information/flags/history on South Africa ….

This song, unfortunately in Afrikaans, is beautiful… “oranje”… = orange…”blou” = blue…it’s a song to motivate people in South Africa to stand together… and to keep spirits high… to have hope….worth listening even if you don’t understand…beautiful images of the country you will enjoy… This flag is…of course you know perhaps….also our country’s old flag.. and we used to call it the “Oranje Blanje Blou”….

ORANJE-BLANJE-BLOU

Woorde: EITEMAL, na “O.D., hoch in Ehren”
Musiek: HENRY HUGH PIERSON

Die Hoogland is ons woning,
die land van son en veld,
waar woeste vryheidswinde waai
oor graf van meenge held.
Die ruimtes het ons siel gevoed,
ons kan g’n slawe wees,
want vryer as die arendsvlug,
die vlugte van ons gees.

[REFREIN]
Dis die tyd, dis die dag,
om te handhaaf en te bou.
Hoog die hart, hoog die vlag,
hoog Oranje-blanje-blou!
Ons gaan saam die donker toekoms in
om as een te sneuwel of oorwin,
met ons oog gerig op jou,
ons Oranje-blanje-blou!

Die ruwe bergereekse
staan hoog teen awendlug,
soos gryse ewighede daar
versteen, verstyf in vlug.
En stewig soos die grou graniet
ons Boeretrots en -trou,
die fondament waarop ons hier
‘n nuwe nasie bou.

[REFREIN]
Dis die tyd, dis die dag,
om te handhaaf en te bou.
Hoog die hart, hoog die vlag,
hoog Oranje-blanje-blou!
Ons gaan saam die donker toekoms in
om as een te sneuwel of oorwin,
met ons oog gerig op jou,
ons Oranje-blanje-blou!

Die God van onse vaders
het ons hierheen gelei,
ons dien sy grootse skeppingsplan,
solank ons Boere bly.
Ons buig ons hoof voor Hom alleen;
en as Hy ons verhoor
omgord ons bly die lendene:
Die toekoms wink daar voor.

[REFREIN]
Dis die tyd, dis die dag,
om te handhaaf en te bou.
Hoog die hart, hoog die vlag,
hoog Oranje-blanje-blou!
Ons gaan saam die donker toekoms in
om as een te sneuwel of oorwin,
met ons oog gerig op jou,
ons Oranje-blanje-blou!

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World Poetry Day

 

Today…15th October 2008…I’ve received this msg from Wayne Visser…(see his poem and site in this entry too….(poem about Africa)…and if you’re interested in his request…then please contact him…he’s looking for people writing poems..but about Africa!

Hello again I thought I’d let you (and your lekker vriende) know that I’ve launched a “Poets of Africa” blog – http://poetsofafrica.blogspot.com/.Just email me on wayne@waynevisser.com and I will give permission for you to post. www.waynevisser.com

 Afrikaanse digters welkom!    
Kwa heri Wayne”
Links will open in a new window.

Today…21st March 2008… is World Poetry Day! I do love poems, I love to read poems and I like to write my own too. On my blog at the top you will now find a page saying…”My poems…gedigte”…a few of my own poems…also you will find a couple of English poems which I’ve translated from Afrikaans…beautiful poems…one from a famous writer/poet/scientist/naturalist…Eugene Marais…”The Dance of the Rain..” take a look and enjoy! also one by Totius…his little daughter died after being struck by lightning..in his arms and he wrote a poem about her…very sad poem….or you can read it  HERE …the link will open in a new window.
You can also read “The Dance of the Rain” on  THIS LINK it’s a very powerful/beautiful poem…full of metaphors…and read about Eugene Marais and the Rain Queen…on that link. The link will open in a new window.

enjoy…the Dance of the Rain!..originally in Afrikaans…”Die Dans van die Reën” by Eugene Marais. If you click on the page saying…”My Poems/gedigte”…you will find more of Wayne Visser’s poems also one which he has asked me to translate…and some of my own poems too, also the poem of the girl that was struck by lightning is to be found on that page. – see the top of my blog for the page-link and I’ve translated Wordsworth’s poem (from English to Afrikaans)…I wandered like a lonely cloud…

Image:tploy.com

The Dance of the Rain
Song of the violinist: Jan Konterdans
translated by:Nikita

The Dance of the Rain
Oh, the dance of our Sister!
First, over the hilltop she peeps stealthily
and her eyes are shy
and she laughs softly
From afar she begs with her one hand
her wrist-bands shimmering and her bead-work sparkling
softly she calls
She tells the wind about the dance
and she invites it, because the yard is spacious and the wedding large
The big game rush about the plains
they gather on the hilltop
their nostrils flared-up
and they swallow the wind
and they crouch to see her tracks in the sand
The small game, deep down under the floor, hear the rhythm of her feet
and they creep, come closer and sing softly
“Our Sister! Our Sister! You’ve come! You’ve come!”
and her bead-work shake,
and her copper wrist-bands shine in the disappearance of the sun
On her forehead, rests the eagle’s plume
She decends down from the hilltop
She spreads her ashened cloak with both arms
the breath of the wind disappears
Oh, the dance of our Sister!
©~~ Nikita

This next poem was written in Afrikaans by Ingrid Jonker and adapted by e.e. cummings…many of her wonderful poems were translated in English and other languages. I love her poems!

 

 

Image:johnfenzel.typepad.com
Somewhere I have never travelled – Iewers het ek nooit gereis nie
Ingrid Jonker…..adapted by e.e. cummings
+
somewhere I have never travelled,
gladly beyond any experience,
your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which I cannot touch because they are too near
~~~~~
iewers het ek nooit gereis nie daardie groen verte
verby alle herinneringe jou oë dra hul stilte
in jou geringste gebaar is daar iets wat my omsluit
of wat ek nie durf aanraak nie iets te ná
~~~~
your slightest look easily will unclose me
though I have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself
as Spring opens(touching skilfully, mysteriously) her first rose
~~~~
jou oë van landskappe sal my maklik blootlê
al het ek my hart gesluit soos twee hande
jy ontvou my keer op keer soos die lente
bedrewe en heimlik haar eerste roos
~~~~
or if your wish be to close me, I and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;
~~~~
en as jy my sou verlaat geslote dan
sou my voorhoof sluit mooi en onmiddelik
soos die hart van ‘n blom sou droom
van ‘n wit sneeu wat alles oral bedek
~~~~
nothing which we are to perceive in this world
equals the power of intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing
~~~~
niks wat ons in hierdie wêreld kan versin
ewenaar die krag van jou broosheid die tekstuur
van jou oë tref my die groen van sy veld
een bevestig die ewige en die vir altyd met elke sug
~~~~
(I do not know what it is about you that closes and opens;
only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands
~~~~
ek weet nie wat dit is wat jou laat vou
en ontvou nie ek verstaan net êrens op my reise
die stem van jou oë is dieper as alle rose
nee nie eens die reën nie het sulke hande
On THIS LINK you can read more about Ingrid…a link to Wikipedia…there’s a Youtube-song to watch…Afrikaans song…one of Ingrid’s poems…and there’s another song to listen to! The link will open in a new window.
and….on THIS LINK you can read more about e e cummings…the link will open in a new window.
If you’re a teacher THIS SITE is really a great site to use for poetry/literacy…try it- the link will open in a new window.

image:worldgolf.com/images/destinations/africa/southafrica.jpg
This next poem is written by Wayne Visser…you can read about him on THIS LINK …the link will open in a new window.

I know a place in Africa…
Inspiring poetry written by Wayne Visser,
a South African currently based in Nottingham, UK.

I know a place in Africa
Where I can feel the sun on my back
And the sand between my barefoot toes
Where I can hear the gulls on the breeze
And the waves crash on the endless shore

I know a place in Africa
Where the mountains touch the skies of blue
And the valleys shelter vines of green
Where the trees spread out a cloth of mauve
And the bushveld wears a coat of beige

I know a place in Africa
Where I can hear the voice of thunder gods
And watch their lightening spears thrown to earth
Where I can breathe the scent of rain clouds
And taste the sweet dew of dusty drops

This is the place of wildness
Of evolution and dinosaurs
Where life began and mankind first stood
Of living fossils and elephants
Where lions roar and springbok herds leap

This is the place of struggle
Of desert plains and thorn trees
Where pathways end and hunters track game
Of horizons and frontiers
Where journeys start and sunsets bleed red

This is the place of freedom
Of exploration and pioneers
Where darkness loomed and light saw us through
Of living legends and miracles
Where daybreak came and hope now shines bright

My heart is at home in Africa
Where the sound of drums beat in my chest
And the songs of time ring in my ears
Where the rainbow mist glows in my eyes
And the smiles of friends make me welcome

My mind is at ease in Africa
Where the people still live close to the soil
And the seasons mark my changing moods
Where the markets hustle with trading
And Creation keeps its own slow time

My soul is at peace in Africa
For her streams bring lifeblood to my veins
And her winds bring healing to my dreams
For when the tale of this land is told
Her destiny and mine are as one

© 2006 Wayne Visser

Enjoy this next poem by Edgar..Poe!

Annabel Lee

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

Edgar Allan Poe

Image…http://project1.caryacademy.org
 

The next poem…by Ingrid Jonker…
The Child

The child is not dead
The child lifts his fists against his mother
Who shouts Africa ! shouts the breath
Of freedom and the veld
In the locations of the cordoned heart
~~~
The child lifts his fists against his father
in the march of the generations
who shouts Africa ! shout the breath
of righteousness and blood
in the streets of his embattled pride
~~~
The child is not dead not at Langa
nor at Nyanga not at Orlando
nor at Sharpeville
nor at the police station at Philippi
where he lies with a bullet through his brain
~~~
The child is the dark shadow of the soldiers
on guard with rifles Saracens and batons
the child is present at all assemblies and law-givings
the child peers through the windows of houses and into the hearts of mothers
this child who just wanted to play in the sun at Nyanga is everywhere
the child grown to a man treks through all Africa
the child grown into a giant journeys through the whole world
Without a pass

 

Ingrid Jonker March 1960
(Translation of: “Die Kind” ) Poems now owned by Simone Jonker…daughter of Ingrid

On THIS LINK you can see podcast-videos of her poems in both Afrikaans/English…worth visiting! The link will open in a new window.

Image: http://farm1.static.flickr.com

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South African recipes

All links in this post will open in a new window. Links to other pages or documents have a number.

1) Please click HERE for my own “pizza” recipe with comfrey or spinach. You will eat your fingers for more! You can follow everything step-by-step with photos!

2) I have found this PDF document with recipes by ‘Moirs’ Recipe_Just-like-Mom-Used-to-Make In this document you will find some of South Africa’s most favourite recipes! 

3) This next link has only Afrikaans recipes. Die link het veral resepte vir bak in groot maat. Die link sal in ‘n nuwe venster oopmaak.

https://chessaleeinlondon.wordpress.com/2007/06/30/heerlike-suid-afrikaanse-resepte/

Skons  / scones  On the picture you can see the scones I baked from this recipe and you can scroll down for the English translation.

Bestanddele:
500ml meel
20ml bakpoeier
2 eiers
5 teelepels botter/margarien
sout
150ml melk

Metode:
Vryf die botter/margarien in die droë bestanddele, totdat dit soos growwe meel lyk.
Meng die melk en eiers – nadat dit goed geklits is – hiermee en vorm sagte deeg. Rol die deeg uit en sny met ‘n koekie drukker die grootte wat jy verlang. Borsel met eiergeel of met melk.
Bak 15 min by 200 grade C

English recipe for scones

Ingredients

500 ml flour
20 ml baking powder
2 eggs
5 teaspoons of butter/margarine
pinch of salt
150 ml milk

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients and with your fingers, rub the margarine into the dry ingredients. Whisk the eggs and milk together and add to the dry ingredients— knee thoroughly. Roll the dough and cut medium-size shapes with a biscuit cutter. Bake 15 min by a pre-heated oven of 200 deg Celcius.

Soetkoekies – or Sugar cookies – This recipe in this image is one I’ve tasted and it is REALLY delicious. I’ve translated it the same time too.

4) On THIS LINK you can follow very easy steps by looking at pictures to make a very nice South African side-dish to have with a BBQ! Read the comments of an American soldier who prepared it for his men in Bagdad! There is also a recipe on “how to make pap”.

5) Click HERE on this link for a recipe about delicious Bokkenvolle, something I’ve only discovered recently in South Africa!

6) Please click HERE to find the English recipe for South African rusks.

7) Click HERE to see the milk tart recipe in English.

Melktert

Hiervoor word gewoonlik skilferkors gebruik.

Skilferkors:
Bestanddele:
1 pond Meelblom
1 pond Botter
2 eetlepels Suurlemoensap
½ pint vloeistof bestaande uit – 1 geel van eier en Water
Metode:

Sif die meelblom, voeg sout by. Druk al die water uit die botter en deel in drie. Neem nou ‘n klein stukkie van een deel af en vrywe dit in die meelblom, maak nou aan met die ½ pint vloeistof en knie deeg baie goed. Die deeg moet geknie word totdat dit soos ‘n stuk rek is. Strooi nou meelblom op ‘n plank en rol die deeg baie dun uit. Neem nou een deel botter en sit dit in klein stukkies op die deeg, strooi effens meelblom oor en vou deeg toe en drie. Laat lê deeg nou ‘n rukkie. Neem nou die tweede deel botter en herhaal die proses en dan weer die derde deel botter ook op dieselfde manier. Rol nou die deeg uit en voer die nodige tertborde daarmee uit en gooi die volgende vulsel daarin:

Meltert vulsel:
Bestanddele:
6 koppies Melk
6 Eiers
2 koppies meelblom
2 onse Botter
1 ½ koppie Suiker
Sout na smaak

Metode:
Maak die meelblom aan met ‘n deel van die melk, sit die ander melk op die stoof om te kook, roer die aangemaakte meelblom in en kook goed deur,voeg die suiker en botter by. Klits eiers goed op,maar hou die wit van drie uit. Haal nou die vulsel van die stoof af en roer die eiers ook by,kook weer goed deur. Klits nou die wit van drie eiers styf en vou in die mengsel in,gooi dadelik in die uitgevoerde tertborde. Bak in ‘n baie warm oond. Pypkaneel en suiker word oorgestrooi sodra melktert koud is. Dit word ook net so bedien.

Let wel: Die vulsel moet altyd kokend warm in die uitgevoerde tertborde gegooi word. Brandewyn kan in plaas van suurlemoensap vir die vloeistof gebruik word.

8) Kyk vir meer resepte HIER op Funkymunky.

Soetkoekies: image – snowflake.co.za

SOETKOEKIES (“soet” means “sweet” and “koekies” = cookies/biscuits…or just plain Sugar biscuits!)

I’ve just made this recipe myself and here’s the results:

These cookies are so scrumptious.
Ingredients
6 cups flour, 500 gm margarine, 2 cups sugar, 6 tsp baking powder,
2 tsp bicarb, 5 eggs , 2 tsp vanilla, (2 cups coconut – optional)  (I’m not a coconut fan and I never used coconut in my Soetkoekies )
Cream together margarine, sugar and eggs.
Sift all dry ingredients together.
Mix all together if the dough is to soft add some flour and mix well.
Roll out and cut with biscuit cutter. Bake 10 to 15 min @ 180 deg C.

9) On THIS LINK you can find a very delicious buttermilk rusk recipe.

KONDENSMELK TERT

1 x blikkie kondensmelk
3 x blikkies water
3 x eiers….geskei
4 x eetlepels maizena
4 x eetlepels vlapoeier
1 x pakkie tennisbeskuitjies

Pak tennis beskuitjies in tertbak. Gooi die blikkie kondensmelk in ‘n kastrol en voeg die blikkies water by. Stel die plaat op ‘n lae hitte. Skei die eiers en klop eier witte styf en meng ‘n halwe blikkie water met die eiergeel maizena en vlapoeier. Voeg dit by die kondensmelk in die kastrol. Roer op lae hitte totdat dit styf is. Haal van die stoof af en voeg die eierwitte by. Meng alles nou goed en giet in ‘n tertbak. Jy kan so ‘n knypie kaneel bo-oor strooi…afhangende van jou smaak. Plaas in die yskas vir sowat 30 min voordat jy dit bedien….en geniet dit!

CHICKEN A LA KING (serves 2)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp plain flour
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp sunflower oil
1 green (or red, or both) pepper, diced
1 amall onion, diced
1 cup quartered button mushrooms
1.5-2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large, shallow saucepan. Add the onion and, when it begins to soften, the red/green pepper. Allow everything to soften over medium heat but don’t caramelise the onions – add a bit more oil to the pan if things start to stick. Add the chicken and heat through, adding the mushrooms towards the end.

Melt the butter in a separate pot and when it is completely liquid, stir in the flour. Allow to cook for a minute or two, then whisk in the milk. Allow the sauce to thicken and season with salt and pepper, then pour over the chicken mixture and mix well. A splash of cream may also be added for richness. Serve at once on cooked rice or noodles.
Recipe: cooksister.com

South African Bobotie
Ingredients:
Group A:
30ml fine ginger
30ml  brown sugar
15ml curry powder
15ml turmeric
10ml salt
2ml pepper
60ml butter/margarine
5 medium size onions finely chopped.

Group B:
2 slices white bread dipped in milk
1kg lean ground beef
150ml seedless raisins
60ml chutney – which you can buy in Tescos  – or order from any South African shop online
30ml smooth apricot jam
30ml vinegar
30ml Worcester sauce
30 ml tomato pasta

Group C
375 milk
2 eggs
Fresh lemon leaves
Heat all the ingredients of group A in a pan except the onions and butter. Add the onions and butter and stir.
Mix group B together and add to the mix in the pan. Slowly simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes.

Put in an oven dish. Mix eggs and milk from group c and add on top of beef mix in dish. Bake for about 45minutes on 350F.


Image and recipe: sacolorado.org/recipes
You can find another Bobotie (pronounced….bebootea) recipe on the BBC’s food website

Ingredients
2 slices white bread
2 onions , chopped
25g butter
2 garlic cloves , crushed
1kg packet lean minced beef
2 tbsp madras curry paste
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
3 cloves
5 allspice berries
2 tbsp peach mango chutney
3 tbsp sultanas
6 bay leaves
FOR THE TOPPING

300ml full-cream milk
2 large eggs

Method:

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour cold water over the bread and set aside to soak.
Meanwhile, fry the onions in the butter, stirring regularly for 10 mins until they are soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic and beef and stir well, crushing the mince into fine grains until it changes colour. Stir in the curry paste, herbs, spices, chutney, sultanas and 2 of the bay leaves with 1 tsp salt and plenty of ground black pepper.
Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Squeeze the water from the bread, then beat into the meat mixture until well blended. Tip into an oval ovenproof dish (23 x 33cm and about 5-6cm deep). Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. You can make this and chill 1 day ahead.
For the topping, beat the milk and eggs with seasoning, then pour over the meat. Top with the remaining bay leaves and bake for 35-40 mins until the topping is set and starting to turn golden.

Image and recipe…bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5109/bobotie

Curried kaiings (crackling)

1 large onion sliced
3 potatoes, diced
2 tomatoes, skinned and diced
5 ml medium curry powder
5 ml turmeric
1 l kaiings
sugar
brown vinegar
salt
pepper

Place the onion, potatoes and. tomatoes in a heavy-based saucepan and add the curry powder and turmeric.
Add a little water and simmer until the potatoes are soft. Add the kaiings and season to taste with sugar, brown vinegar, salt and pepper.
Mix well and cook through. Serve with mealie rice. Serves 4.
Resep: www.afrikaans.org.au/Resepte.ews?Resepte.ewdid=18

These two  recipes were sent to me via email, I haven’t  tried it myself as yet.

Melktert – another Milk tart recipe..in Afrikaans from my blogger friend Chris. This recipe is from his mum-in-law and I’ve copied it exactly like he sent it to me.

Genoeg vir 2 tertborde

Smeerkors: 2 eetlepels sagte margarine – hoogvol
1/4 koppie suiker
3/4 koppie meel
1 eier
1 teelepel bakpoeier
knippie sout
vanilla geursel

Room botter en suiker goed. Voeg vanilla by askook geklopte eier. Sif droe bestanddele saam en voeg by bottermengsel. Deeg moet baie sag wees. Smeer borde met vingers en bak by ongeveer 200 grade C of 400 grade F tot gaar. (Indien deeg te styf is, kan ‘n bietjie melk bygevoeg word).

Vulsel: 6 koppies melk
4 eiers
6 eetlepels suiker
2 teelepels margarien
knippie sout
6 eetlepels meel, afgeskud
1 teelepel vanilla geursel
1/2 teelepel amandel geursel

Kook melk en botter saam. Maak meel en sout en geklitste eiers en suiker aan tot ‘n pasta wat kan loop. As melk kook, haal kastrol af van plaat en voeg pasta by. Sit terug op plaat en kook vir 2 min. Voeg geursels by en skep in korse. Strooi kaneel bo-oor.

 
Ever Ready Bran Muffins
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup corn oil
4 eggs, beaten
5 cups self rising flour
5 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 quart buttermilk
1 15-ounce 100% bran or 15-ounce Raisin
bran
1/2 cup fruit and fibre
1/2 cup raisins

Blend sugar and oil. Add beaten eggs. Sift dry ingredients together. Add alternately with buttermilk. Stir in cereal. Keep refrigerated in a tightly closed container. Stir well before each use. Stir in a little more buttermilk with each batch. Bake in greased muffin tins 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
recipe: necyskitchen.wordpress.com

 

 

Apricot and Walnut Bread and Naan Bread

Apricot and Walnut Bread….Naan Bread –  from You magazine,   2007, a South African magazine.

Beef Wellington

Beef Wellington…click on the images for a clear view

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken – also from the You magazine, 2007. The next recipe comes from a Tesco food magazine – it’s a “wrap”, we use these wraps to make our own Tortillas!

 

Beef Tortillas

The following two recipes are from a friend of mine, Africa. If you want it translated, give me a shout. The first one is a Baking powder-bread and the 2nd is a healthy-bread-recipe.
Bakpoeierbroodjie

4 koppies meelblom (1 000ml)
1 teelepel sout (5 ml)
5 teelepels bakpoeier (25ml)
3 teelepels suiker (15 ml)
1 eetlepel margarine (12,5 ml)
1 3/4 koppie melk (450ml)
Eier en water gemeng

Metode:
Sif droë bestanddele saam.
Sny botter in.
Meng met melk tot taamlike sagte deeg.
Plaas op meelbestrooide plank en knie liggies.
Plaas in gesmeerde broodpannetjie en druk effens gelyk. Borsel eier- en melkmengsel oor.
Laat staan vir 15 min op warm plek.
Plaas ‘n lag aluminiumfoelie oor pannetjie en bak vir 15 min by 200 grade Celsius of 400 grade Fahrenheit., verwyder die foelie en bak verder vir 30 min tot ligbruin bo-op.

Gesondheidsbroodjie

500 ml volkoringmeel
250 ml gerolde koring
250 ml muesli
15 ml afgedopte sonneblomsade
5 ml sesamesaad
5 ml sout
5 ml koeksoda
500 ml ongegeurde joghurt
15 ml heuning
bietjie sesamsaad om bo-oor te strooi

Metode:

Voorverhit die oond tot 180 grade C. Smeer ‘n broodpannetjie van 21x11x6 cm
Meng die volkoringmeel, koring, muesli, sonneblomsaad en sesamsaad, sout en koeksoda.
Voeg die jogurt en heuning by en meng goed
Skep die deeg in die pannetjie en maak dit gelyk. Strooi sesamsaad oor en druk vas.
Bak vir 1 uur. Keer uit en laat afkoel.

Bake your own Tortillas!

Makes 30 large tortillas

Ingredients
900g  flour
1  teaspoon salt
1  teaspoon sugar
200g  butter
2  cups water (lukewarm)

Method
1.  Sift  flour, salt and sugar into bowl.
2.  Rub  butter into flour mixture until it resembles bread crumbs.
3.  Gradually add water and mix into soft dough.  The dough  should not be too sticky or too dry.
4.  Divide into small or large balls depending on size tortillas you  want.
5.  Place onto lightly greased surface and cover with damp  cloth.
6.  Rest  for 30 minutes.  Roll into disks of 3mm thick.
7.  Cook  each tortilla in very hot griddle pan (like crepe pan) for 30 seconds on each  side.  If it puffs up, press it down with a spatula.

To wrap, place the filling in the middle of the round tortilla.  Fold the bottom up to cover the filling but not all the way to the top, then fold the sides in.  At this stage you can add more of the filling if needed.

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Vetkoek / Phat cake

Vetkoek is a name given due to the way you bake it. It’s a “cake” baked in oil. In Afrikaans the “vet” means ‘fat’ and this cake is oily.

This is a fantastic recipe as I made it myself too. Please scroll down for the English translation. In  these pictures you can see what mine looked like from this recipe and the family’s comments: delicious, we want more!

This recipe comes from a South African famous recipe book and it contains only winner recipes.

Vetkoek – definitief die beste resep!

Bestandele

Kookolie vir diep braai
1 Koppie Kookwater
2 Eiers
Knypie Sout
2 Teelepels Bakpoeier
2 Eetlepels Suiker
2 Koppies (500ml ) Koekmeelblom

Aanwysigings
Sif die koekmeelblom, suiker, bakpoeier en sout saam. Klits die eiers in ‘n aparte mengbak. Klits die kookwater by die eiers: klits goed. Voeg die eiermengsel by die meelmengsel en klop met ‘n houtlepel tot goed gemeng; die beslag is slap.

Skep dessertlepelsvol beslag in matig warm kookolie in ‘n braaipan. Braai die vetkoek totdat die onderkant goudbruin en die bokant vol lugborrels is. Draai om sodat die bokant ook goudbruin kan braai. Plaas die vetkoek op kombuispapier sodat alle oortollige olie daarin kan dreineer. Sit die vetkoek warm voor met botter en heuning of appelkooskonfyt óf met maalvleis. (Die resep afgeskryf uit Huisgenoot Wenresepte)

English recipe.

Ingredients:

Oil for deep fry
1 cup of boiled water (I used hot water and not boiled water)
2 eggs
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder ( I used 4!)
2 dessert spoons of sugar (I didn’t add any sugar – it’s healhier)
2 cups (500ml) of Flour

Directions:
Sift dry ingredients. Whisk the eggs and add the water. Add to the dry ingredients
and mix the batter with a wooden spoon. Drop large spoonsful of batter in warm oil.
Make sure you’re oil is not too hot! Fry both sides well, till it’s golden brown.
Enjoy with a beef mince filling/syrup/honey/jam, whatever taste you like. This recipe produces about 6-10 “vetkoeke”/fat cakes…depending on the size.

On this site you can find a recipe for a bread machine!

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Another recipe I’ve found that looks great :

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Ingredients

Vetkoek/fat cake

250ml (1cup) cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
125 milk
125 ml oil for frying

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Instructions on how to make it
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. beat egg separately and add to flour. Add milk and mix until smooth heat oil in frying pan and drop a tablespoon of the mixture into oil. Fry for two to three minutes on one side, then turn and fry for one minute on other side. Serve hot.
Recipe can be found HERE too.

**And…another!! This one is with YEAST and I do like Fat Cake with yeast !

Vetkoek means ‘oil cake, which refers to the method of frying, not baking the bread.
It is a classic South African “bread”. You can have it with a sweet filling or a savoury filling.
Beef mince or syrup, like maple syrup…add some cheese and you have a nice “filling”.

Vetkoek/fat cake

1 kg (2 1/4 pounds) white bread flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 packet instant yeast
1 litre lukewarm water (1 quart)
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method

In a large dish mix flour, sugar, salt and yeast together. Slowly add lukewarm water and stir. Combine until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Cover with greased kitchen paper, put in warm draft-free place, and allow to double in size. Heat enough vegetable oil for deep frying. Fill another dish with cold water and place next to your vetkoek dough. Wet your hands in cold water before breaking off a piece of dough, rolling it into the shape and size of a tennis ball and carefully lowering it into hot oil. You can easily do five or six vetkoek at a time. Allow to turn golden brown on all sides by frequently turning. Remove from oil and drain on kitchen paper.

This next pie is really something very delicious! My sister used to make it..and I’ve found the recipe here: fruittart.wordpress.com/2008/01/28/daring-little-tart/
Lemon Meringue Pie
Makes one 10-inch (25 cm) pie

For the Crust:

¾ cup (180 mL) cold butter; cut into ½-inch (1.2 cm) pieces
2 cups (475 mL) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
¼ tsp (1.2 mL) salt
⅓ cup (80 mL) ice water

For the Filling:

2 cups (475 mL) water
1 cup (240 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (120 mL) cornstarch
5 egg yolks, beaten
¼ cup (60 mL) butter
¾ cup (180 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon zest
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

For the Meringue:
5 egg whites, room temperature
½ tsp (2.5 mL) cream of tartar
¼ tsp (1.2 mL) salt
½ tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla extract
¾ cup (180 mL) granulated sugar

For the Crust: Make sure all ingredients are as cold as possible. Using a food processor or pastry cutter and a large bowl, combine the butter, flour, sugar and salt. Process or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together. Sprinkle with water, let rest 30 seconds and then either process very briefly or cut in with about 15 strokes of the pastry cutter, just until the dough begins to stick together and come away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Allow the dough to warm slightly to room temperature if it is too hard to roll. On a lightly floured board (or countertop) roll the disk to a thickness of ⅛ inch (.3 cm). Cut a circle about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the pie plate and transfer the pastry into the plate by folding it in half or by rolling it onto the rolling pin. Turn the pastry under, leaving an edge that hangs over the plate about ½ inch (1.2 cm). Flute decoratively. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the crust with foil and fill with metal pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool completely before filling.

For the Filling: Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and let rest 5 minutes. Whisk the sugar and corn-starch together. Add the mixture gradually to the hot water, whisking until completely incorporated.

Return to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will be very thick. Add about 1 cup (240 mL) of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Whisking vigorously, add the warmed yolks to the pot and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until incorporated. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla, stirring until combined. Pour into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, and cool to room temperature.

For the Meringue: Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, salt and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Pile onto the cooled pie, bringing the meringue all the way over to the edge of the crust to seal it completely. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack. Serve within 6 hours to avoid a soggy crust.
Daring Bakers Extra Challenge
Free-Style Lemon Tartlets
Prepare the recipe as above but complete the following steps:
To roll out tartlet dough, slice the dough into 6 pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll each circle of dough into a 5 inch disk. Stack the disks, separated by pieces of plastic wrap, on a plate, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To bake the dough, position rack in oven to the centre of oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC). Place the disks of dough, evenly spaced, on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely.
To finish tartlets, first place oven rack in the upper third of the oven and increase heat to 425ºF.
Divide the lemon filling equally among the disks, mounding it in the centre and leaving a 1-inch border all the way around.
Spoon the meringue decoratively over each tartlet, right to the edges, in dramatic swirling peaks. Return tartlets to oven and bake for about 5 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown.

Additions:
You can make one pie or tartlets (in a tin or free-form)
You can compliment your pie with a sauce. For example, you can serve it with raspberry or white chocolate sauce.
You can use a piping bag to apply the meringue if you like.
Decoration is up to you – lemon zest or fruit are totally acceptable

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Volkspele..Folk Dance

 

You want to know more about this fold dance, then visit this link:

http://www.volkspele.co.za
On this link, you will find tons of files of South African fold dance music, free to download and you will also find the lyrics of the songs too.
http://tortel.net/~lochner/blerkas/index.html

In these photos: Year 1’s doing a South African folk dance at a London school. The teacher asked me to teach them a dance as part of their topic of countries across the world. I taught them ‘Afrikaners is plesierig’. 
 

This is the actual dress when you do “Volkspele”…or  Folk Dance the South African way!

Jan Pierewiet in Korea!

 Volkspele on youtube! See more videos there…

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