A couple months ago my dear friends, Cameron and Robin, returned from an extended trip to South Africa. Robin was there a year helping women trapped in the sex trade, and Cameron was there for a few months designing and creating a sculpture to be featured in the facility where Robin worked.
Both Cameron and Robin are part of my cooking club and are such fabulous people. Authentic, down-to-earth, kind and loving, they make all our lives better just being there each week. They’re also fantastic, inventive cooks. They’re the sort of folks who can look in the fridge and cupboard, pull out random ingredients and put them together in ways that make us all swoon.
While in Africa they didn’t have a big kitchen to putter around in. Their tools were limited to a funny little hot plate and a small Braai – the South African BBQ. But that didn’t stop them. They still managed to churn out the most scrumptious dishes, and today I’m delighted to share two of them with you.
The first is a red lentil curry made at Museum Park, Pretoria Central, South Africa. They picked up spices at their local Pick and Pay, turned on their hot plate and started cooking. They added garlic powder, cracked mustard seed,
celery seed, and birds eye red peppers to red lentils and black pepper.
Then covered the lot with water and let it simmer for 45 minutes until the lentils were tender and flavorful.
While visiting the Cape of Good Hope, they got a craving for fresh fish. Although staying at a backpacker hostel, they were delighted to find a Braai (BBQ) at their disposal. They picked up a local black fish called Rock Fin from Kalk Bay, a small town on the Cape of Good Hope. They got some off the shelf braai spice at the Checkers grocery market down the street and grilled the Rock Fin until the skin was browned and crispy and the fish flaked beautifully.
I’m hungry just writing about it! 🙂 Makes me want to hop on the next plane to South Africa and explore that incredible country, closing each day with dear friends and homemade food cooked on a hot plate.
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday.
Cameron and Robin’s Red Lentil Curry
Ingredients:
1 package red lentils
black pepper
garlic powder
cracked mustard seed
celery seed
birds eye red peppers
Directions:
- Combine everything, cover with water, bring to boil and simmer for 45 minutes until lentils are tender.
- Serve with fresh bread.
Yum! The red lentil curry served with fish sounds so good. I wonder if I can convince my family to eat fish this week… Africa is on the top of my travel to-do list. Now I really want to go too!
Ahhh I LOVE SA!!! What a great post. Food looks superb!
what a great post! love the piks and the dishes look absolutely delish
I’ve never been to SA, but spent some time with SA neighbours and got a little look at their country and cuisine through knowing them, it sounds like an amazing country and some of their dishes are really different (with a bit of a new twist), they used spices a lot and lentils…, all so interesting. Love to visit SA one day.. Aaahhh yes, …. one day 😉
I’m aching to go there too, Nicole. 🙂 I had to make fish last night – salmon with caramelized onions and hickory smoke. Yum!! 🙂
Thank you, Andi! I’ve never been, only read and dreamed. Some day I hope! 🙂
Thanks so much, Mira! It’s great to meet you. 🙂
Yes indeed, Anna, ONE DAY!! 🙂 I’m just beginning to learn more about South African cuisine. I love the interesting spices and unique ways they make common foods. 🙂
Kalk bay is one of my favorite places on earth! I have a picture of those colorful bath houses. Such fun memories!
The lentils are so easy to make and those seasonings are beautiful. What a fabulous combination. Thanks for sharing this.
You’ve been there too, Katie?! How lovely! I do so hope I get to visit there one day. 🙂
You’re welcome, Chaya! I was drawn to its simplicity too. Just good, wholesome food. 🙂
And i am hungry jus reading about it!!
So delish gurl !!
Am loving it, and love all te deliciousness u come up with!!
What an amazing experience for them! I would love to visit South African someday, especially if all the food there is this amazing, which I’ve no doubt it is.
A truly wonderful place to visit, my husband was born and spent his childhood through his teens in Cape Town before moved to Israel. We love to visit and plan to go back soon.
I’m so glad, Mia! I love to make people hungry – and then feed them! 🙂
Me too, Joanne! I’ve only read of these places so far, and I’d love to see it up close and personal. 🙂
Oh that’s wonderful, Elra! How lovely to have that connection to such an amazing place.
Oh Krista I hope we can travel there together someday. Maybe explore Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia too. that would be incredible!!