ZA Classic A Mieliebread Memoir
Woolworths TASTE|October 2020
Steamed inside a mielie husk in a village, or laced with chilli in a South African Indian kitchen, mieliebread has a special place in South African food history. We talked to three South Africans about their family recipes
Hannah Lewry
ZA Classic A Mieliebread Memoir

Bathandwa Nkambule, food blogger and pop-up restaurant host @theearthycook

When my mom married, she was very dedicated to being a housewife. She was always baking, and used to make mieliebread – or isonka esinombona as she calls it. Sometimes she would use sweetcorn, sometimes roasted corn, and sometimes she would steam it instead of baking it.

The recipe varies, even within cultures. My dad is Swati and my mom is Xhosa, and within each tribe everyone has their own way of preparing it. Where my mom grew up, they used to wrap the dough in mielie leaves to rise, and then boil it in the leaves.

Recipes change, thank goodness! My mom gave me her recipe for a recent African-themed pop-up restaurant I did. I served it with spicy braaied chicken feet and butter for a starter. The diners absolutely loved the twist because they were expecting a hard-core traditional meal and my rendition caught them by surprise.

You can also enjoy mieliebread with butter and jam for breakfast. And at our big family gathering in December, we made four big loaves to eat with oxtail potjie. I’m vegan, so I had it with chickpea curry.

I sometimes think we take the things we grew up with for granted. Which other dish is so versatile, that you could eat it for breakfast, lunch, or supper?

SUNDRIED TOMATO-ANDBASIL MIELIEBREAD

Serves 8

Denne historien er fra October 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.

Denne historien er fra October 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.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA WOOLWORTHS TASTESe alt
 Award-winning Food: Trending Plates
Woolworths TASTE

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.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
Everything you need to know about quinoa
Woolworths TASTE

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.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
PIGS IN BLANKETS
Woolworths TASTE

PIGS IN BLANKETS

The kids will love these quick-and-easy snacks that won't break the (piggy) bank.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
82 words on...
Woolworths TASTE

82 words on...

THE FROZEN APEROL SPRITZ is the hottest way to keep cool this summer, says Jeanne Calitz.

time-read
1 min  |
January/February 2023
MEET ME AT THE RIVER
Woolworths TASTE

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.

time-read
10 mins  |
January/February 2023
FIRE STARTER
Woolworths TASTE

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.

time-read
10 mins  |
January/February 2023
PLANTS IN PARADISE
Woolworths TASTE

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.

time-read
10+ mins  |
January/February 2023
ΤΟ MAY-ΤΟ, ΤΟ MAH-ΤΟ
Woolworths 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.

time-read
6 mins  |
January/February 2023
HOME TRUTHS
Woolworths TASTE

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.

time-read
9 mins  |
January/February 2023
Morogo magic
Woolworths TASTE

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.

time-read
2 mins  |
January/February 2023