This traditional South African favourite requires a little more time than the self-raising flour variant, but is well worth the effort! Served with curry mince filling as a light lunch, everyone will turn up for seconds… 16 portions.

Ingredients:

4 cups cake flour (500g)

˝ tablespoon (7.5 ml) salt

1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar

5g (= half a sachet = 7.5 ml) Instant dry yeast

35 g margarine, at room temperature and cut into cubes

325 ml lukewarm water

Vegetable oil for deep frying

• Mix flour, salt and sugar. Add yeast and mix well.
• Rub margarine into flour with fingertips. Add lukewarm water gradually and mix to a soft dough. Add more water if dough is dry.
• Knead dough thoroughly for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
• Sprinkle working surface with a little flour; place dough onto it and cover with greased plastic. Leave for 15 minutes.
• Knock dough down and divide into 16 equal pieces. Roll pieces into balls and place on floured surface. Cover with greased plastic (and a tablecloth or blanket in cool weather). Leave to rise until volume has doubled; 15 –30 minutes.
• Heat oil in saucepan. Carefully lift 3 – 4 balls into oil and fry both sides until golden brown.
• Drain well on double sheets of kitchen towel.

1. For greased plastic: a freezer/shopping bag cut open and greased with cooking spray works well.
2. For larger vetkoek, make larger balls (i.e. divide dough in 12 / less pieces).

Ingredients:

vegetable oil

• In a little hot oil, sauté onion and 2.5 ml borrie until soft. Take out and keep aside.
• Add a little more oil to saucepan and brown mince. Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Add curry, 2.5 ml borrie and a little water and stir. Turn heat down and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently and adding water to prevent meat from cooking dry.
• Cut vetkoek open and serve with spoonfuls of hot mince.

1. Add diced, cooked vegetables such as potato, carrot and peas to curry mince for colour and flavour.