African Steamed Bread (Ujeqe)
In Ilse van der Merwe's recently published book, Timeless South African – Celebrating 101 Iconic Dishes, you'll find a compilation of invaluable cultural heritage stories (and accompanying recipes) that every South African should read. To know more about our collective food history across our diverse cultural hotpot, is to know more about our neighbours and ourselves. May these stories also find their way into our school curriculums, especially in the consumer science classrooms.
- Makes One Medium Loaf
- Serves: 6
- Recipe Category: Bread
You Will Need:
Method:
In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
Add the water, then stir to mix.
Continue to knead by hand to form a soft, elastic dough (8-10 minutes), adding a little extra flour if necessary.
Place the dough in a 23 cm oiled round Pyrex bowl and cover it with a damp cloth.
Leave to rise until doubled in size.
When doubled, remove the cloth and place the bowl in a pot half-filled with boiling water.
Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a slow simmer, then steam over low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes without opening the lid.
The bread is ready when well risen and the bread springs back when pressed lightly.
Remove the dish from the pot and turn out the bread onto a wire rack to cool.
Slice and serve with butter or to mop up gravy.
To make individual rolls, shape the proofed dough into 6 - 8 balls and place them in oiled ramekins. Steam as above, for about 40 minutes, until fully cooked.
African Steamed Bread (Ujeqe)
In Ilse van der Merwe's recently published book, Timeless South African – Celebrating 101 Iconic Dishes, you'll find a compilation of invaluable cultural heritage stories (and accompanying recipes) that every South African should read. To know more about our collective food history across our diverse cultural hotpot, is to know more about our neighbours and ourselves. May these stories also find their way into our school curriculums, especially in the consumer science classrooms.
- Makes One Medium Loaf
- Serves: 6
- Recipe Category: Bread
You Will Need:
Method:
In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
Add the water, then stir to mix.
Continue to knead by hand to form a soft, elastic dough (8-10 minutes), adding a little extra flour if necessary.
Place the dough in a 23 cm oiled round Pyrex bowl and cover it with a damp cloth.
Leave to rise until doubled in size.
When doubled, remove the cloth and place the bowl in a pot half-filled with boiling water.
Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a slow simmer, then steam over low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes without opening the lid.
The bread is ready when well risen and the bread springs back when pressed lightly.
Remove the dish from the pot and turn out the bread onto a wire rack to cool.
Slice and serve with butter or to mop up gravy.
To make individual rolls, shape the proofed dough into 6 - 8 balls and place them in oiled ramekins. Steam as above, for about 40 minutes, until fully cooked.