Lentswe Bhengu, one of South Africa’s loved and respected chefs died on February 28.
Bhengu’s influence on the industry over his many years of cooking was immeasurable.
Born and raised in KwaZulu-Natal, he started off plying his trade in the investment finance space.
After five years in the industry, Bhengu traded in his suit and tie for a chef hat and spatula, and in 2010 enrolled at The Culinary Academy in the Cape Winelands.
After graduating, he quickly made a name for himself in the culinary scene, whipping up memorable creations in the kitchens of some of the finest restaurants.
Pretty soon, his talent and passion for cooking opened new doors, one of which saw him embark on a journey to uncover the different tastes of Africa.
Bhengu was also renowned for his cookbook “Africa on a Plate”. His journey through the continent's flavour profile had given him respect for traditional dishes.
With every dish, he guaranteed a dining experience that was unrivalled and a flavourful journey that honoured the best of African food culture.
The recipes in the book start from the simplest and most nostalgic meals to the more sophisticated and finally on to the more adventurous.
As someone who believed so much in African cuisine, below is his easy and delicious vetkoek recipe for a definite crowd-pleaser.
Vetkoek is a delightful, typically South African snack. A traditional pastry in different cultures. Vetkoek is basically a mixture of flour, water, sugar, and salt which is made into small balls and deep-fried until golden brown.
Mamma’s vetkoek stuffed with chakalaka corned meat
Ingredients
For the chakalaka corned meat
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 canned Bull Brand chakalaka corned meat
2 tbsp barbeque spice
2 cups chopped vegetables (use whatever you have in the fridge - celery, beans, sweet potato, carrot) or use Rhodes Quality canned sweetcorn or canned beans.
1 cup canned Rhodes Quality peas
Salt and pepper to taste
For the vetkoek
1 kg flour, plus extra for dusting
120g sugar
1 10g sachet of instant yeast
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp salt
1l warm water, keep 1 cup extra (if the dough is too stiff)
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Method
For the chakalaka corned meat
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add the onion, cayenne pepper, and garlic and sauté until the onion softens.
Add the corned beef, breaking it up with a spoon.
Cook for five minutes until browned.
Stir in the barbeque spice and cook for one minute.
Add chopped vegetables and peas, stirring until cooked through. Check the seasoning.
For the vetkoek
Mix the flour, sugar, yeast, oil, salt, and warm water.
Add extra water only if necessary. Knead thoroughly, then allow to prove for 30 minutes until doubled in original size (this will take longer on a cold day).
Dust a tray with flour.
Scoop up handfuls of dough and roll them into balls. Place the vetkoek on the tray and allow it to rise until doubled in size.
Heat the oil in a deep saucepan.
Deep fry a few vetkoeks at a time (do not fry a lot of balls at the same time). Keep turning the balls after every 2 minutes.
Check the vetkoek after 10 minutes - they should have risen to the top of the oil.
Drain on kitchen paper until ready to serve.
Explore more of our delicious corned meat recipes here or watch some of our cooking videos for further inspiration.