What to Cook this Mother’s Day

Two menus. Two pairings. Mother’s Day lunch: sorted 

They say food is a love language, so why not show the mom in your life how much you love her this Mother’s Day with a feast fit for the queen she is.

Two of South Africa’s top female chefs – Amori Burger from Upper Union and Nina du Toit from Salsify at the Roundhouse – have made cooking on Sunday 12 May so much easier with these two recipes. Even better, each recipe has been given with a wine-pairing recommendation from either Johanna Richter from The LivingRoom or Eloise Windebank of Farro at Gabriëlskloof.

Menu 1 | Pan-fried kingklip in a coconut curry sauce served with herb flatbread 

               Saurwein Riesling Chi

               Nina & Johanna

“As the cold weather is slowly creeping in, I thought a light, yet warming coconut curry with panfried fish and fragrant flatbreads would be perfect to celebrate Mother’s Day,” Chef Nina explains.

Fresh kingklip is lightly pan-fried and served atop a generous helping of curry sauce. Made with fresh ginger and lemongrass, turmeric, tamarind and both coconut milk and coconut curry… it’s decadent centre for the simple, warm flatbread on the side.

The Pairing 

For the pairing Johanna recommends the Chi Riesling 2023 from Jessica Saurwein.

“It beautifully enhances the spicy notes of the curry with a little bit of sweetness to support the dish with the coconut. The earthiness in the wine with the herbs of the flatbread and acidity of tamarind pairs perfectly,” explains the sommelier.

Menu 2 | Urfi lamb shoulder with spinach & chevin pkhali, and meebos pumpkin

               Gabriëlskloof Whole Bunch

               Amori & Eloise

“I love a dinner party or, even better, a Sunday lunch – everyone sitting around a table, sharing food, discussing the food and enjoying a great bottle of wine,” says Chef Amori. “I like cooking with flavours that pack a punch –interesting spice combinations, some heat from fresh chilli and balanced out with something acidic.”

Amori’s menu – lamb with two sides – is packed with flavour and requires a bit more time, but it’s definitely worth it. Lamb, slow roasted for four hours, is served with Red Zhoug, tomato Rasam and Labneh.

The first side is a Pkhali, a typical Georgian dish of cooked vegetable pounded with walnuts, garlic, and spices. Amori makes hers with spinach and chevin, along with an ezme (a Turkish “salsa”) with pomegranate molasses. The second side is pumpkin, sweetened with meebos, with a salty peanut podi, sultana and fresh mint.

The Pairing

“I’d pair this dish with Whole Bunch Syrah from Gabriëlskloof,” says Eloise.

The Whole Bunch is a really fresh, crunchy Syrah – a good whack of acidity to cut through the fattiness of the lamb, lots of red fruit and black pepper to complement the spices this dish has in spades and enough tannin to bring it all together with a really luscious mouth feel.

“It’s the kind of red wine that can stand being chilled down a fair bit and still be able to sing, so it’s the perfect wine to stick in an ice bucket and linger over a leisurely lunch with,” she adds.

So, whether you choose from simple and sumptuous, or aromatic and abundant, Mother’s Day 2024 is going to be the best-tasting one yet.

Bon appetit! And cheers…

 

MENU 1

PAN-FRIED KINGKLIP IN A COCONUT CURRY SAUCE SERVED WITH HERB FLAT BREAD

Serves: 4 |Preparation time: 90 minutes | Difficulty: medium

Pairing: Saurwein Chi Riesling 

INGREDIENTS

For the flatbread:

300g     all-purpose flour

5g          yeast

10g        salt

5g          sugar/ 1tbsp honey

1            egg

1            tbsp olive oil

±190ml water

1            handful parsley

1            spring rosemary

5g          chives

1            clove garlic

100g     butter to brush on at the end

For the kingklip and curry sauce:

400G    kingklip

100g     butter

1            lemon, juiced

150ml   oil

3            cloves garlic, chopped

1            thumb ginger, peeled and chopped

1            stick lemongrass, chopped

2            onions, peeled and finely chopped

5g          turmeric

11g        raja medium

2g          garam masala

1 tbsp   honey

1 tin      coconut milk

1 tin      coconut cream

1            lime (juice and zest)

2 tbsp   tamarind paste

1 tbsp   fish sauce

1            handful coriander to garnish

Crispy baby onions and curry leaves:

1            punnet curry leaves

4            baby onions

50g        corn flour

200ml   canola or sunflower oil

METHOD

Flatbread:

  • Take your parsley and rosemary and pick it off the stems. Roughly chop the herbs including the chives and set aside. Put the garlic clove through a garlic press.
  • Place the flour, salt, yeast and sugar/honey in a bowl.
  • Crack the egg into a jug and add the water and olive oil. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients stirring slowly with your hands.
  • Once all your liquid has been added pour the mixture onto a floured counter and begin to knead the dough with both hands. The dough will feel very sticky at first but as you knead it, it will start coming together and become less sticky. This will take about five to eight minutes. If you feel it is too wet add some extra flour.
  • Mix your herbs and garlic into the dough and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with cling wrap or dish towel for 35 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
  • Melt your butter in a small pot and set aside.
  • Cut the dough into eight equal balls.
  • Roll out the dough balls on a floured surface with a rolling pin.
  • Heat a pan on a medium heat and add a tiny bit of oil. Place the rolled-out flatbreads in the pan one by one and fry until slightly golden brown before flipping them over.
  • Brush them with the melted butter while hot.

Coconut curry:

  • Heat your oil in a medium pot. Once your oil is hot but not smoking add your garlic, ginger and lemongrass. Toast lightly before adding the onions. Fry until they become translucent.
  • Add your spices and toast for one minute to release the flavour.
  • Add your honey, coconut milk and cream and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Take off the heat and season with your lime zest and juice, tamarind paste, fish sauce and salt to taste.
  • Blend the sauce with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth.
  • Add fresh coriander at the end.

Crispy onions and curry leaves:

  • Peel and slice the onions into thin rings.
  • Pick the curry leaves off the stems.
  • Heat the oil to 180-200 degrees Celsius.
  • Fry the curry leaves in the oil until crispy. This will not take long.
  • Dust the onions in corn flour and fry until golden. Salt when hot.
  • Land onto paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

Kingklip:

  • Portion the fish into 100g portions and lightly salt.
  • Heat up a pan and add oil.
  • When your oil and pan are hot, add the salted fish to the pan and fry until golden brown on one side before flipping it over.
  • Add a knob of butter and allow to brown.
  • Switch off the pan and add a squeeze of lemon juice before removing the fish.

TO SERVE

Ladle the curry sauce on the base of your plate, place the pan fried kingklip on the top and garnish with fried curry leaves and crispy onions. Serve with hot herb flatbreads on the side.

MENU 2

Urfi lamb shoulder with red zhoug, tomato rasam and labneh

meebos pumpkin, peanut podi, sultana and mint

spinach and chevin pkhali with ezme and pomegranate molasses 

Serves: 6 | Preparation time: 90 minutes | Difficulty: Medium 

Pairing: Gabriëlskloof Whole Bunch Syrah

INGREDIENTS

Urfi Lamb Shoulder:

2kg                      Lamb Shoulder

2 Tbsp                EVOO

2 Tbsp                Smoked Paprika

1 Tbsp                Sumac

100ml                 Pomegranate Molasses

2 tsp                    Fine Salt

1 tsp                    Black Pepper

4 sticks              Celery

1 each                Onion white, quartered

1 head Garlic

4 sprigs              Rosemary

250ml                 Water

250ml                 Red Wine

Red Zhoug:

7 each                Red Chilli

4 cloves             Garlic

1 tsp                    Ground Cumin

1 tsp                    Ground Coriander

½ tsp                   Ground Cardamom

½ tsp                   Black Pepper Ground

½ tsp                   Salt Fine

¼ cup                  Coriander Leaves

¼ cup                  Parsley Italian

1 each                Lemon- Juiced

3 tbsp                 EVOO

Tomato Rasam:

1/3 cup Coriander Stalks

8 each                Garlic Cloves

10gr                    Ginger

2 tsp                    Cumin Seeds

¼ tsp                   Black Pepper

3 each                Tomato Plum

1 tbsp                 Sunflower Oil

½ tsp                   Mustard Seeds

½ tsp                   Black Dhal

1 each                Dried Chilli

¼ tsp                   Hing

10 each              Curry Leaves

To Taste             Salt

360ml                 Water

2 tbsp                 Fresh Coriander- chopped

Meebos Pumpkin:

1/2 each            Pumpkin large

1 each                Oranges

450gr                  Demerara Sugar

500ml                 Water

1 each                Cinnamon Stick

1gr                       Star Anise

20gr                    Meebos

1gr                       Cloves

To Taste             Salt

30gr                    Sultanas

10gr                    Mint Leaves

Peanut Podi:

½ tsp                   Peanut Oil

1 tsp                    Cumin Seeds

½ tsp                   White Sesame Seeds

1 each                Red Chili

10gr                    Tamarind

¼ cup                  Coconut Desiccated

2 tbsp                 Yellow Split Peas

1 cup                  Roasted Peanuts

1 tbsp                 Kashmiri Chili Powder

Spinach& Chevin Phkali:

2 cups                Walnuts

100gr                  Spinach

1 clove               Garlic

2gr                       Parsley Italian

½ tsp                   Paprika

½ tsp                   Kasoori Methi

3 tbsp                 White Wine Vinegar

1 tsp                    Coriander Powder

To Taste             Salt

¼ each Onion White

60gr                    Chevin

Ezme:

100gr                  Onion white- brunoised

60gr                    Shishito pepper

100gr                  Red Pepper

60gr                    Cucumber

250gr                  Plum Tomato

15ml                   Pomegranate Molasses

To taste              Salt

2gr                       Chilli Flakes

45ml                   EVOO

METHOD

Urfi Lamb Shoulder:

  • Preheat oven to 220°C fan on
  • Rub the lamb with the olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Use a thin, sharp knife to make 12 incisions in the lamb, deep as you can but without piercing through the bottom of the lamb.
  • Stuff bits of rosemary and garlic slivers into the holes
  • Place the onion sliced carrots and celery and rosemary in the base of a roasting pan. Place the lamb on top. Pour water and wine around.
  • Cover with lid or tightly with a double layer of foil. Place in the oven and TURN DOWN 140°C fan.
  • Slow roast covered: Roast, covered with the foil, for 4 hours.
  • Brown it, uncovered: Remove foil, check to ensure there’s still liquid in the pan. If not, add 3/4 cup water (otherwise onion/garlic will burn). Turn up the oven to 220°C and roast for a further 20 to 30 minutes, until the skin is browned and crisp.
  • Rest: Remove lamb from the roasting pan and transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 20 minutes, up to a couple of hours.

Red Zhoug:

  • Prepare the chili peppers by removing the stems and roughly chopping them. You can remove the seeds for a milder zhoug or leave them in for extra heat.
  • Peel the garlic cloves.
  • In a food processor or blender, combine the chopped chili peppers, garlic cloves, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cardamom, black pepper, salt, cilantro leaves, parsley leaves, and lemon juice.
  • Pulse the ingredients until they are finely chopped and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl as needed to ensure even blending.
  • With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil gradually until the mixture forms a thick, smooth paste. Add more olive oil if needed to reach your desired consistency.
  • Taste the zhoug and adjust the seasoning if necessary, adding more salt or lemon juice according to your preference.
  • Transfer the red zhoug to a clean jar or airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 1-2 weeks.

Tomato Rasam:

  • Take roughly chopped coriander stems with or without leaves (about a handful of coriander stems) in a blender or mixer jar. Also add garlic cloves and roughly chopped ginger. ]
  • Add cumin seeds and black pepper.
  • Grind to a coarse paste. Remove in a separate bowl or plate
  • In the same jar add the tomatoes (rinsed and chopped).
  • Grind or blend to a smooth puree. If you want, you can blanch tomatoes and then puree them – for a bright red color in the rasam.
  • In a heavy pan or pot, heat the oil. Keep the flame to its lowest
  • Add the mustard seed and let them begin to crackle.
  • When the mustard seeds start to crackle, then add urad dal.
  • Stirring often fry urad dal until they turn golden.
  • Now add the dry red chilies (halved and seeds removed) and 1 pinch asafoetida. In case the pan becomes hot, then switch off the heat.
  • Stir and fry for a few seconds till the red chilies change color.
  • Add the coarsely ground coriander stems, ginger, garlic mixture and curry leaves. If the pan becomes too hot, then you can switch off the heat.
  • Sauté for a minute on lowest flame taking care the mixture does not burn. You will get a nice aroma while sautéing this mixture.
  • Add turmeric powder.
  • Mix turmeric powder with the rest of the mixture.
  • Now add the tomato puree. mix very well. Take care as the mixture splutters.
  • Sauté for a minute. Season with salt as per taste.
  • Then add 1.5 cups water. If you like a little thin tomato rasam, then you could add some more water. But do not add too much water as the flavors get diluted.
  • Mix well and simmer thakkali rasam on medium-low heat until the rasam comes to a simmer.
  • Overall simmer for 9 to 10 minutes.
  • Finally switch off the heat and add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Check the taste of tomato rasam and add more salt if needed.

Meebos Pumpkin:

  • Slice one orange and juice and zest the other.
  • In a large pan bring orange juice, slices and zest, brown sugar, star anise, cloves water and cinnamon to a boil.
  • Add pumpkin and reduce to a simmer.
  • Cook covered until pumpkin is tender.
  • Uncover and simmer sauce to a glaze.

Peanut Podi:

  • Add peanut oil to a wide pan and heat on low-medium heat
  • When oil heats up, add cumin, sesame, red chilli and mix well and roast
  • Add garlic and tamarind, mix well and sauté until garlic changes color
  • Add coconut and sauté for another 2 minutes
  • Add yellow split peas and sauté until the moisture evaporates
  • Add peanuts, mix until combined and remove from heat
  • Leave mixture to cool.
  • Separate the garlic and transfer the mix to a blender jar
  • Add the required salt, Kashmiri chilli and pulse 5-6 times. AVOID GRINDING
  • Add garlic and pulse 2-3 times. Mix well in between pulses.
  • Allow to cool

Spinach and Chevin Pkhali:

  • Place the spinach in a non-stick pan and cook it on medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it releases its juice, and the juice is fully evaporated,
  • Take walnuts, garlic, parsley, chili peppers, kasoori methi powder, vinegar, coriander, salt and spinach into the food processor and grind until it reaches a puree consistency,
  • Chop the onion very finely, add it to the puree and mix,
  • Take tangerine-sized pieces from the mixture and roll them and make a hollow in the middle by pressing them with your thumb
  • Garnish with ezme

Ezme:

  • Place the chopped onion, chopped pepper in a food processor and cover. Run the food processor for 15 seconds, then stop it, take off the lid and stir with a spoon. Check if the pieces are small enough (they should be tiny), if not, cover and run the food processor for 15 more seconds.
  • Add cucumber and blitz again for 10 seconds
  • Add remaining ingredients and blitz again
  • Season to taste

TO SERVE 

  • To serve plate the lamb with the red zhoug, labneh and tomato rasam as the sauce. The pumpkin with the peanut podi and fresh mint and the spinach and chevin phkali topped with the ezme.