African Food and Art

This blog explores the wisdom of African proverbs, the depth of folklore, the beauty of art, the stories of history, and the flavors of timeless African food recipes.

Potjiekos Chicken and Plantain Stew

Potjiekos is a traditional South African Afrikaner stew cooked in a cast iron pot over an open fire. Our version of Potjiekos is made on the stovetop.

Potjiekos (Pot = potjie and Food =kos) 

Potjiekos (Pot = potjie and Food =kos) is a traditional Southern African Afrikaner stew cooked in a cast iron pot over an open fire.
Potjiekos Chicken and Plantain Stew

Potjiekos Chicken and Plantain Stew

Ingredients
4 chicken thighs with skin
2 medium onions, finely sliced
2 ripe plantains, sliced
2 medium carrots, cut into strips
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 large tomato, sliced
2 sprigs chopped parsley
1 sprig thyme
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 hot pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon of any flavor of chutney
2 dried bay leaves
4 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
To make a delicious and satisfying meal, gather all the required ingredients and add them to a generously sized stew pot with a lid. Let the mixture simmer gently for an hour, filling your home with mouth-watering aromas. Once ready, serve the hearty stew over a bed of fluffy rice or with a side of soft bread to soak up all the tasty juices.

Afrikaners

Afrikaners, who are they?
In 1688, a group of French Protestants, striving for religious freedom, fled France and settled in the Cape. Together with the Free Burghers, who were farmers, they are regarded as the earliest ancestors of the Afrikaner nation. This community developed their own language, national identity, history, and religion. The modern-day definition of Afrikaner refers to any white Afrikaans-speaking person.

What holidays do Afrikaners celebrate?
New Year and Dingaan's Day or Day of the Covenant memorial festivals are traditionally celebrated annually. Afrikaners also continue to celebrate their heritage in traditional ways and, on special occasions, put on traditional dress and participate in formal dancing called volkspele. On these occasions, boys and men wear shorts with knee socks, and women wear long dresses and bonnets. Male folk dancing partners also wear shirts with vests and long pants.

What type of sport do Afrikaners enjoy?
Bokdrol Spoeg or Kudu Dung Spitting, is a sport practiced by the Afrikaner community in South Africa. Bokdrol Spoeg is a traditional indigenous South African sport of spitting antelope droppings. The object of the competition is to spit the small hard dropping of the Greater Kudu antelope poop the furthest distance. The person who spits the antelope dropping the farthest wins. There is skill in choosing the right texture of poop to spit; the harder the poop the further the poop travels when expelled. And yes, a yearly competition is held in South Africa’s Afrikaner community for Bokdrol Spoeg.

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