IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY FATHER, S.J DU TOIT BOSHOFF 23 April 1937 – 31 January 2013

  

The storyteller

Where does one begin to pay tribute to a legend? A man that has always been larger than life; who was honorable, courageous and inspirational, but most of all loved dearly by those whose lives he touched? After a brave and painful battle with cancer, my father sadly passed away on a rainy Thursday morning, surrounded by his loved ones. The path our family has had to walk since has been trying, and alas, a very lonely one. Everything seems to be in limbo, and somewhat surreal. The mere act of sitting in front of my computer and letting my fingers grace my trusted and dust-filled keyboard is already an act of courage. For the first time in my life, words seem to escape me.

With an array of recipes and memories in tow, I will attempt to give you a peak inside the life of my favourite person that I used to know, my dad. So here goes…

My father always had a very healthy appetite; from traditional stews and roasts to authentic Oriental cuisine. I even remember the foul concoctions he used to prepare in secret in the scullery after dinner (those with queasy stomachs please skip to the next paragraph now)… bread lathered with jam and Bovril; or mashed sweet potato mixed in with a glass of milk. He was also the creator of the much-loved bread-and-milk porridge; pieces of bread rolled into tight little balls, covered with warm milk and way too much sugar.

And then the crème de la crème of my dad’s culinary repertoire: potjiekos. If there was one dish that I always requested when I went to visit my parents, it was my dad’s potjie. The last time my dad prepared the dish for me, he was very ill after a serious surgery and aggressive chemotherapy. If I close my eyes I can still see him sitting outside in the garden under his blanket, patiently stirring the contents of the potjie, and periodically taking a sip of red wine. Silences were filled with numerous stories from his childhood, and mocking giggles at his korny jokes. How I miss sharing those moments with my dad. They say that you only realise the importance of a moment once it becomes a memory…I couldn’t agree more.

So, in honour of my dad, I would like to share the following recipes with you guys. I hope that some of them will bring the same amount of happiness and content it has brought my father throughout his life.

I love you dad, and miss you more than you will ever know. This is for you. Love Adrian  x

Koeksisters

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 cups flour

4tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 cup of water

1/3 cup oil (sunflower or canola)

For the syrup:

4 cups of sugar

2 cups of water

4 lemon slices

Juice of ½ a lemon

1ml ginger

4 tblsp golden syrup

Pinch of salt

Method:

Sift together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the oil and water and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix together until a stiff dough forms. Turn it out onto the counter and start to knead the dough until soft and elastic. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Once rested, remove the dough from the fridge and roll the dough into 5mm thick and 10 cm long strips on a floured surface. Pull each piece of dough lightly in order to stretch it. Bring the two points together and twist the rest of the dough to form the koeksister shape. 

For the syrup, best results will be achieved when prepared the day before and left to cool in the fridge.

In a saucepan, bring all the ingredients for the syrup to a boil. Place in fridge to cool.

Once syrup is sufficiently cooled, heat a large saucepan of sunflower oil. Gently drop the koeksiters in the oil, being mindful that oil that is too hot, can burn the dough on the outside while still raw on the inside. Once the koeksisters is a light golden brown, remove from the oil and place in the ice cool syrup. Once the koeksisters has absorbed enough syrup, place over a cooling rack so that excess syrup can drip off. Repeat the process and try not to eat before it has cooled sufficiently. Enjoy with a freshly brewed cup of tea.

My dad’s “Taai” Chicken (Oriental chicken)

Ingredients:

One whole chicken, portioned

125ml sunflower oil

60ml golden syrup

30ml soy sauce

30ml soft brown sugar

15ml corn flour

5ml ginger

5ml salt and pepper

Method:

Heat a tblsp of oil in a deep pan or wok, and place the chicken portions inside and start to brown. Meanwhile, mix together the sunflower oil, golden syrup and soy sauce, and pour over the chicken portions. Let the sauce bubble and reduce for a couple of minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook the chicken over a medium heat, turning frequently, until cooked and tender. Delicious served hot or cold.

Beef stew

Ingredients:

300g beef brisket

200g beef short-ribs

1 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper

2 cloves of garlic, minced

10 small whole onions (pickling onions)

5 medium sized potatoes cut in half

2 tblsp of flour to thicken sauce

½ cup cream

Method:

Place the brisket and short-ribs in the seasoned flour and shake until lightly covered. Place the seasoned and floured meat in heated oil and start to brown. Cover the meat with enough water to cover, and simmer slowly for about 3 hours until soft and tender. Add salt, pepper and garlic, and stir in the whole onions and potatoes. Cover with a lid and continue cooking until the vegetables are soft and cooked through. Remove the vegetables, and add a little flour to the sauce in order to thicken it. Once the sauce is sufficiently thickened and the flour has been cooked out, add the cream and the vegetables. Heat through and serve with some rice. A delicious winter warmer recipe.