Traditional South African vetkoek with curried mince
Every South African has childhood memories eating vetkoek with curried mince
These fried dough balls are a real winter warmer, and in Cape Town the winter months are long, cold and rainy. The perfect weather to stay indoors and cook up a storm!
I hadn’t made vetkoek for the kids in years, and knew they would love it. What is not to love? Deepfried, soft bread with a crispy outside, filled with flavourfull curried mince, grated cheddar cheese and of course some apricot jam.
These dough balls always surprise me. After the first, I want more, after the second, I’m full. Luckily they keep well in an airtight sealed container for a few days, but they are still best eaten straight out the hot pan.
Ingredients to make vetkoek with curried mince
4 cups cake flour
2 tsp instant dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 cups warm water
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 l sunflower oil
How to prepare vetkoek with curried mince
Firstly, make the dough by cominbing the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl, combine:
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
Mix dry ingredients well.
Next, slowly pour in 2 cups warm water while mixing, then add 1 tbsp oil.
Stir until it comes together into a sticky dough. If the dough is too dry you can add a splash more water.
Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. You can do this by hand or with a stand mixer using a dough hook.
Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or cling wrap and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Once the dough is ready, divide it into 10–12 equal portions.
Shape each into a ball or flatten slightly into discs.
Heat the 1l oil on the stove in a deep pot. It needs to get to a temperature of 170–180°C (340–350°F). If you are not sure if the temperature is right, you can test it with a small piece of dough if it bubbles and rises to the surface quickly, your oil is at the right temperature.
Carefully lower a few dough balls into the hot oil. Fry for about 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
Drain the vetkoek on paper towels.
Serve with curried mince, grated cheddar cheese and apricot jam.
They keep well in an airtight sealed container for a few days, but they are still best eaten straight out the hot pan.
Enjoy! Please tag me on Instagram if you’ve made this recipe, I’d love to see it!
More South African Recipes
Below the newsletter block, you will find some more South African recipes.
If you’re looking for a South African dish how about a real South African braai broodjie, made with bobotie leftover mince?
Or if you want to know how to make a good South African potjie, I’m sharing all my tips and tricks. I also recently made a Vegetarian Samp, Bean and Creamed Butternut Potjie with Grilled Halloumi, which was delicious too.
If it’s meat you’re looking for, you can get the best Ostrich meat in our country, so why not prepare a juicy ostrich steak?
Last but not least, I have made a South African Inspired Paella before, which you should really try.
About Shawn Godfrey
Photo credit: Niki M Photography
Shawn Godfrey is an entrepreneur based in Cape Town, South Africa. After the Covid-19 lockdown saw his business in financial distress, cooking was the creative outlet that helped to keep him sane. To keep track of his recipes, and encourage friends and families to join him, he starts his instagram account The Roasted Dad.
Fast-forward to late 2021 - on a whim Shawn (encouraged by his wife Lianne) enters MasterChef South Africa. It is a crazy time of life: running a 200 people business and struggling to keep it profitable, two small children with a third on the way, and about to move into a new house. But when Shawn gets selected to be one of the 20 contestants participating in the fourth season of MasterChef South Africa, he decides to go all in. Leaving his 7-month-pregnant wife to look after their then three and one-year-old children, he battles it out and comes back home five weeks later with the trophy and a million rand prize money in his pocket.
It all started with an Instagram account, but The Roasted Dad is so much more now. Shawn has stayed his entrepreneurial self and whilst he hosts Private Dinner Parties and Cook-with-Me Demos, does Restaurant Take-Overs, he still runs the lighting company and several other businesses.
On his blog, Shawn shares Restaurant Reviews and Accommodation Reviews, and gives an insight into the wild and wonderful life he leads together with his wife Lianne, and their three children Aiden (7), Olivia (5) and Harvey (3).
Sign up to the newsletter below to be kept up to date with events, new recipes and reviews, or contact Shawn to chat about recipe creation, restaurant takeovers and public speaking events.
Every South African has childhood memories eating vetkoek with curried mince. I hadn’t made vetkoek for the kids in years, and knew they would love it. What is not to love? Deep-fried, soft bread with a crispy outside, filled with flavourful curried mince, grated cheddar cheese and of course some apricot jam.