South African Potjie

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• e.g. coconut oil
• 1 large onion(s)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 piece(s) ginger root, approx. thumb-sized
• 1 kg meat substitute
• 1 kg potatoes, waxy
• 2 large carrots
• 2 jalapeños
• 4 chili peppers
• 1 bell pepper(s), red
• 250 g green beans
• ½ cup(s) lentils, red
• ½ cup(s) lentils
• 1 bottle of beer
• 1 shot of red wine
• 2 cans of chopped tomatoes, approx. 400 g each
• 1 bunch of parsley
• some oregano
• some rosemary
• salt and pepper
• some water
• 4 tsp, heaped vegetable stock powder

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 15 minutes

extremely simple, sociable and also vegan soul food

Light a campfire or put some coals on the grill. Roughly chop all the ingredients into approximately 3 x 3 cm pieces. The potjie will simmer for about 1-2 hours, and the vegetables shouldn’t fall apart. When guests arrive, place the potjie (cast iron pot) directly on the fire and heat it up. Sauté the onion pieces in a sufficient amount of coconut oil with the grated ginger and garlic until translucent. As soon as the potjie goes from translucent to searing temperature, add the protein component. Vegetarians can use seitan or vegan meatballs, which they sear until crisp. For the sauce, mix the beer, wine, tomatoes, spices, herbs, and stock powder. Add the carrots and potatoes to the bottom layer of the potjie and immediately deglaze with the sauce. Then add the remaining ingredients. Place the lentils on top. Everything should be covered in the liquid, but not floating. Put the lid on. Caution: Once the potatoes and carrots are in the potjie, do not stir them! The potjie should simmer gently (slow cooking). Now the potjie is really left alone. At most you can use a wooden spoon to CAREFULLY check that nothing burns on the bottom. To avoid this, simply arrange the fire in a ring at the appropriate distance and size around the potjie. The potjie is ready when the potatoes and carrots are tender. Insider tip: Instead of a cast iron potjie, a coated pot can of course be put on the stove in urban areas. Note: What is a potjie? If you have ever been to South Africa, you have surely seen mamas cooking dishes over an open fire in huge cast iron pots on the side of the road. These pots are called potjiekos in Afrikaans, or potjie for short (pronounced: poiky), and heavy, meat-heavy street food is prepared in them under questionable hygiene conditions. In South African culture, in addition to the bring-and-braai (the hosts provide the grill and everyone brings their own food and drinks), people also like to have a potjie (not on the side of the road, but at home). The idea is to conjure up the most delicious meal possible without much effort, allowing plenty of time for socializing.