Few smells are as familiar to me as that of sorghum – a distinctive sour aroma that seemed to fill the entire room as my grandmother opened the Tupperware container in which it had been fermenting. And for me, nothing offers more proof that food is truly a vehicle for emotion and memories.
The smell of sorghum always conjures up the image of my Koko – who has since passed – aged but still regal, stirring away at the coal stove to make our favourite breakfast of all: sorghum porridge. My cousins and I ate this warm bowl of comfort every day when we were at her house. With a little Nespray powdered milk and brown sugar, we still swear that no one makes it like our Koko did.
Sorghum, a resilient ancient grain indigenous to Africa, has sustained nations for generations. It is also commonly used to make umqombothi, the traditional African beer popular at social gatherings. Few other grains have the potential of this humble superfood (also called mabele in most of South Africa). It can be cooked and added to salads, or enjoyed with a gravy or sauce much like couscous or quinoa. Sorghum can also be ground and added to flour to bake breads, or even popped like popcorn. (For more inspo, see Lesego Semenya’s flapjacks on page 36).
Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Woolworths TASTE.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Woolworths TASTE.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Award-winning Food: Trending Plates
Fine-dining takes on both nostalgic and African ingredients - from Cremora and polony (yes!) to okra and beetroot - were food trends singled out by the judges of the 2022 Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant Awards.
Everything you need to know about quinoa
If it was good enough to sustain the Incan armies - and NASA's astronauts - you'd better believe this protein-rich seed will see you through your afternoon slump.
PIGS IN BLANKETS
The kids will love these quick-and-easy snacks that won't break the (piggy) bank.
82 words on...
THE FROZEN APEROL SPRITZ is the hottest way to keep cool this summer, says Jeanne Calitz.
MEET ME AT THE RIVER
Plan a visit to the new Mukwa River Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi to experience Zambian food with a twist, courtesy of head cook Aaron Menezes and four passionate members of his kitchen team.
FIRE STARTER
Celeb TV chef Clem Pedro - of Afternoon Express and Expresso fame takes the art of hosting to pro level and not because he went to hotel school or worked for TASTE, but because he started in his mom's kitchen. We asked him to share his food nerd roots and family braai secrets.
PLANTS IN PARADISE
Former Durban creative (and one-time carnivore) Neil Roake and his daughter Jordan's epic travels led them to collaborate on the all veg cookbook Castaway. They shared their meat-free adventures on the Filipino island of Siargao with TASTE.
ΤΟ MAY-ΤΟ, ΤΟ MAH-ΤΟ
Midsummer tomatoes are impossible to resist, we know. So when you find yourself with a bounty of exotic varieties - heirlooms, Italian Romas, ripe Mediterraneans and sweet Rosalinis - Hannah Lewry is here to help.
HOME TRUTHS
At her Joburg eatery, established in the iconic former Women's Jail at Constitution Hill, Mpho Phalane has worked to create a space that both honours the historic site and feels like home. She spoke to Khanya Mzongwana about the food journey that brought her here.
Morogo magic
Budget-friendly indigenous leafy greens - fresh, sautéed or preserved for later use are on Mokgadi Itsweng's menu at this time of year.
