Vetkoek

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough first so it can rise while you cook the filling. In a bowl, mix the strong white bread flour, instant dry yeast, caster sugar, and fine salt. Add the lukewarm water and sunflower oil, then stir into a shaggy dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic; if it feels very sticky, oil your hands lightly rather than adding much more flour. Cover and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes.

2. 2

   While the dough rests, heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until beginning to soften, then add the garlic and curry powder and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant; do not let the garlic burn.

3. 3

   Add the beef mince and break it up well with a spoon. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes until browned and no pink remains. Stir in the tomato paste, water, fine salt, and ground black pepper, then simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the filling is thick rather than saucy. A dry filling prevents the vetkoek from going soggy. Remove from the heat.

4. 4

   Punch down the dough lightly and divide it into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball, then flatten gently into rounds about 1.5 cm thick. Let them stand for 5 minutes while you heat the frying oil; this short second rise helps them puff better.

5. 5

   Pour the sunflower oil for deep-frying into a small, deep pot and heat to about 170 to 175°C. Fry the dough rounds in batches, without crowding the pot, for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and cooked through. Adjust the heat as needed so they colour steadily rather than too fast. Drain on paper towel.

6. 6

   Split each vetkoek open while still warm, but not all the way through. Spoon in the curried mince filling generously. Serve hot with chutney on the side or spooned in, if you like.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For a true beginner-friendly shortcut, use instant yeast as listed; it removes the need for blooming the yeast separately.
• •If your kitchen is cool, place the covered dough near a lightly warmed oven to help it rise within the short time.
• •The frying oil amount is needed for safe deep-frying, but the nutrition estimate assumes only a fraction is absorbed.
• •You can make 2 large vetkoek instead of 4 smaller ones, but smaller ones cook more evenly for beginners.

Background