Locals share a slice of their heritage: Isigwaqane
Each week, we will feature meal inspired by a local resident's heritage.
TO celebrate Heritage Month, the Highway Mail will run a weekly recipe column that features local residents proudly sharing a slice of their heritage.
This week, Ayanda Tsinde will share her recipe for one of her favourite meals, Isigwaqane, also known as Isithwalaphishi.
Isigwaqane is an easy-to-make traditional South African meal, made using simple ingredients such as beans and maize meal.
Tsinde said she fell in love with cooking when she was young and that she inherited her culinary skills from her late grandfather, who worked as a chef and travelled across the provinces back in the 60s and 70s.
“I believe cooking is a skill that I have perfected over the years as I do not enjoy doing other house chores, so I always cook and prefer traditional meals,” said the 31-year-old.
Tsinde encouraged Highway residents to embrace their culture, love it and appreciate it.
“They should embrace traditional food and learn to prepare it.”
She said Isigwaqane is a simple dish to make and very fulfilling.
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“What I love about it is that you can enjoy the meal with absolutely anything. You can have it alone, enjoy it with any stew, vegetables or roast meat, my favourite is having it with tripe.”
She added that her dream is to one day open up a restaurant that will specialise in traditional meals.
Ingredients
2 cups of sugar beans
3 cups of white maize meal
3 teaspoons of vegetable oil
3 pinch salt
1 litre of water
Method
After rinsing the beans, place them in a large saucepan with a pinch of salt and one jug of water. Let it boil for 2 hours.
Once the beans start to get tender, add 3 cups of maize meal and stir using a wooden spoon, until the maize meal and beans are blended.
Leave for about 45 minutes, until the maize meal is tender and well cooked. Add 3 teaspoons of oil, the last two pinches of salt and cook for another 10 minutes.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
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