At African Bush Camps, our chefs are renowned masters of the open fire, even when they have to carefully heat the grill in some of the most remote wilderness areas. They can be found producing the most amazing food in everything from our camps’ fully kitted five-star kitchens and outdoor fireplaces, to temporary bush stops and remote river sand banks.
We love to share our traditional recipes with guests who travel from all over the world. Southern Africans take great pride in our homemade cuisine and recipes inherited from our ancestors.
It’s not surprising why South Africans, in particular, have dubbed 24 September an annual ‘Heritage Day’,. On this specific public holiday, family and friends take a break in the last stretch of the year to gather against the backdrop of a fire, taking in the aromas of wood, meat and, for many non-meat eaters, roast vegetables, cooked on the grill while celebrating all the unique cultural influences that make Southern Africa so special.
‘Braai’, meaning barbecue in Afrikaans, entails a typical meal of meat, a healthy dose of crisp green and other starchy salads, and another favourite, ‘roosterbrood’. This easy-to-braai side serving, which directly translates to ‘grid bread’, is the ideal accompaniment for a rustic yet delicious South African lunch and dinnertime favourite meal, especially when served hot off the coals. Perfect for camping, roosterbrood can be enjoyed with breakfast the next morning on reheating on the fire and smothering the warm serving with butter.
Creating roosterbrood from scratch can be an adventurous activity the little ones can join in on and participate in the family’s cooking expedition.
Recipe Instructions:
Preparation: 35 – 45 minutes
Cooking: 20 – 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 kg white bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
10 g instant dry yeast
60 g butter, cut into small cubes
600 ml lukewarm water
Equipment:
Large mixing bowl
Cling wrap
Large pan/baking tray
Tips: When transferring the risen dough balls to the coals, ensure the coals are not too hot so that it instantly burns your fingers.
Method:
- Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Allow the butter to soften at room temperature, mix into the flour mixture, rubbing with your fingertips until mixture resembles crumbs.
- Add the water to form a soft dough.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Cover with cling wrap and allow to stand in a warm place until doubled in size. This should take 1-2 hours.
- Knead the dough again and shape into 12 balls.
- Place the balls of dough into a greased pan or baking tray and allow them to stand for a further 10 minutes.
- Flatten the balls slightly and sprinkle with a little flour.
- Cook over low fire for 10 minutes on each side.
- Tap the bread with your fingers, when it makes a hollow sound it is ready to be taken off.
Source: The South African
