Page 96 - Through the eyes of an African chef

THROUGH THE EYES OF AN AFRICAN CHEF
Ujeqe nezinso zemvu noshatini – Steamed bread and lamb kidneys, with relish
INGREDIENTS
For ujeqe
1kg stoneground, wholemeal flour Pinch of salt
10g instant yeast
300ml warm water
For the kidneys
300g lamb kidneys 20g sage
Knob of butter
For the relish
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, ground into a paste 1 red pepper, diced
1 large jam tomato, diced
INSTRUCTIONS
For ujeqe: Sift flour and salt into a bowl, then pour in the yeast and mix. Make a well in the middle, pour the water into the well and mix into a wet dough. Start kneading, adding more flour if necessary, for about 15 minutes. Knead thoroughly. You need an elastic dough, so don’t be too gentle.
Place the dough into a greased enamel or steel bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size. Place the bread, still in the bowl, inside a wide, large saucepan with simmering water that reaches halfway up the bowl. Steam for an hour, and then test with a skewer. Place on a rack to cool.
For the kidneys: Buy your kidneys from an organic butcher who will clean them for you. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan on a low heat. Fry the sage in the melting butter. Remove it as it turns golden and fragrant. Place the sage on a kitchen towel to drain. Fry the kidneys in the sage oil according to your preference (I like them with a touch of pink in the middle). Place in your serving dish and set aside.
For the relish: Using the same pan after frying the kidneys, add onion, garlic and peppers on a low heat. As this softens, add tomato, then season with salt and black pepper. (I do not like to cook it long as I prefer a sauce with a crunchy texture.)
TO SERVE
On a plate, place a slice or two of ujeqe and a portion of kidneys per person, with greens and relish on the side. See page 64 for greens recipe.
SERVES 2–4 PREPARATION TIME 45 MINS COOKING TIME ±11⁄2 HRS
94 MY SNACKS [ chapter four ]