With the cooler weather approaching, I’m more and more drawn to comfort foods. I’m sure you feel the same. Anything that makes the kitchen smell welcoming gets my nod of approval.
Last weekend, I decided to try my hand at vetkoek or verbroodjies – they are literally into deep fried bread balls. After they’ve been fried pretty much the way you fry donuts – because they are kind of like savoury donuts – they are filled with something spicy (commonly mince curry with grated egg) once they’ve cooled down. I chose to fill these ones with a very quick and easy to make chicken curry.
You can also slice it down the middle and fill it with jam – for those with the sweet tooth.
Whichever way you have it, it is yum and moreish so of course only make this in moderation.
Vetkoek
Here is the recipe.
- 4 cups flour
- 15ml sugar
- 1 sachet instant yeast
- 10ml baking powder
- 5ml salt
- 40g melted butter
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cups lukewarm milk
- Oil for deep frying
- 3 chicken breast fillets, cubed
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 30ml olive oil
- 1 grated tomato
- 30ml tomato paste
- 60ml double cream yogurt
- 5ml garlic and ginger paste
- 5ml salt
- 10ml ground coriander
- 5ml cumin
- 3ml tumeric
- 10-15ml curry powder
- In a bowl, sift flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix in sugar and yeast into flour and baking powder mix.
- Beat the egg and add to the lukewarm milk and melted butter.
- Add the above liquid mixture the dry ingredients and kneed to form a dough.
- Allow the dough to rise for half an hour to 45 minutes.
- Once risen form balls and allow to prove for half an hour.
- Fry in hot oil and fill with chicken curry filling.
- Mix the spices, salt, garlic and ginger paste into the yogurt. Coat the chicken cubes in this and allow to marinate.
- Meanwhile, saute the onion olive oil until golden.
- Add the grated tomato and tomato paste before adding the chicken.
- Allow to cook until sauce thickens and reduces.
- Slice open the vetkoek and fill with chicken curry.
It was delicious