The Spice Route

The use of aromatic spices, herbs and seasoning form the heart of Malay cooking. It is difficult to describe the subtle aromas and intriguing undertones of foods so delicately spiced. It includes flavours from the pungency of hot chillies to the fragrance of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.

At the beginning of the 17th Century fellow humans from Indonesia, Java, Malaysia and India were brought to work as slaves on farms in the Cape. They came to be known as Cape Malays. Their influence and that of the Indians that came to settle in Durban to work on the sugar cane fields saw to it that curry dishes became part of the national cuisine of South Africa.

Cape Malay curries include sweet spices like cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger in combination with savoury spices like roasted masalas (a word describing a mixture of spices) and at times also fruits and Malay cooks have been masters of the art of seasoning. Curries are traditionally served with rice or rootis (a flat round bread similar to chapattis).

All spices, in particular ground spices, diminish in flavour over time. It is important to keep it in an airtight container. Use fresh whole spices for the best results but once again keep it in airtight containers in a cool, dry place as they tend to lose their freshness if exposed too long to air, heat and moisture.

Allspice/Piment

This sun-dried berry of the West Indian pimento tree seems to combine the flavours of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, hence its name. It is used in the preparation of many meals and is a popular spice in curries, soups and bredies (an Afrikaans word for stews from Malaysian origin first used by the Cape Malay). Ground allspice can also be used to flavour desserts, cakes and biscuits.

Aniseed/Aniis

A seed similar in shape to jeera and barishap, but it is used mainly in confectionary because of its warm, sweet, pungent flavour similar to liquorice. Use sparingly since the flavour can be overpowering. Star Aniseed, so called because of its star shape, is rarely used on its own, but is ground and used in Breyani (A great meal made with Basmati rice, lentils, lamb pieces, spices, saffron, potatoes and buttermilk) masala and garam masala, but nothing stop you from using it in its star shape.

Fennel-Barishap/fenkol

Barishap is the Malay name for Fennel. Barishap seeds look very much like jeera but are less elongated and fatter. The seeds are aromatic with a warm, slightly bitter, aniseed flavour and are used in savoury dishes such as chevra (a mix of rice flakes, peanuts, cashews, raisins, green chillies, sugar and salt) and fish dishes. Ground barishap is very often used in breyani masala.

Bay Leaf/loorberileht

The bay leaf comes from the sweet bay or true laurel tree. It is aromatic with a slightly bitter taste and is used in the preparation of pickled fish, curries, sosaties (a traditional South African skewer with lamb, veggies or fruit grilled over the coals), and denningvleis (one of the oldest recorded recipes in South African cuisine). Use it sparingly and always discard whole leaves before serving. For a more delicate flavour you can opt for lemon leaves instead of bay leaves.

Borrie-Turmeric/Kurkum

A deep yellow, ground spice obtained from the dried root of a plant related to ginger. It can have a slight bitter taste and take care not to exceed the amount recommended in the recipe. It is mainly used for curries, pickled fish and sosaties and for colouring yellow rice.

Cardamom/Kardemon

It is known as elachi in the Indian community. The dried seed pots are available in two varieties – green or white. It is best to buy it in small quantities and to use it as needed, since they quickly lose the pungent aroma and distinctive flavour after they have been ground. The aromatic dark brown seeds are generally left whole or are slightly crushed for curries, breyanis and other rice dishes. Ground cardamom is also used in the preparation of puddings, koeksisters (A South African syrup coated doughnut in a twisted braided shape), biscuits and cakes.

Chilli/Tšilli

There are more than 30 different varieties of chillies, some much stronger than others. Unripe or green chillies are juicier, with more flavour, while ripe red chillies are hotter. Pounded or liquidised chillies mixed with a little oil and salt can be stored in sealed containers in the refrigerator for easy use later. Dried chillies should be torn into pieces and soaked in hot water for around 10 minutes to soften. Chillies are a must for most curry dishes, chutneys and sambals (It is a chilli based sauce normally used as a condiment) so experiment to get the best results for your taste.

Chilli Powder/Tšilli pulber

It is generally red in colour and made from dried red chillies. It is excellent for foods that need a bit of colour and gives an extra bite that makes quite a difference. Use instead of ground black pepper on lamb chops and fish.

Cinnamon/Kaneel

Cinnamon is the bark of a tropical tree which has a rich, strong, spicy aroma and a delicious sweet flavour. In Malay cooking, stick cinnamon is added to curries breyanis, vegetables, puddings and deserts. Ground cinnamon is also used in baking; milk tart (Melktert) and confectionary.

Cloves/Nelk

Cloves are the dried, unopened buds of a tree indigenous to Indonesia. They have a pronounced aroma and a strong, almost bitingly sharp, spicy taste. Cloves are used to flavour many savoury and sweet dishes and the

flavour blends well with other spices like cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Ground Cloves are stronger than whole ones so, be careful to use only a pinch or the flavour will be too overpowering

Curry leaves/Karri Lehed

These are available fresh or dry. Fresh ones are mainly used for garnishing curry dishes while dried curry leaves are used in the preparation of leaf masalas and for adding extra flavour to savouries such as chevra.

Curry Powder/Karripulber

It is a mixture of borrie (turmeric) whole coriander, jeera, ginger, fenugreek, black peppercorns, and chilli and mustard seeds and is best when freshly ground. Curry paste is commercially available but does not do justice to the flavour of freshly ground aromatic spices. In Cape Malay curry, Masala is used in conjunction with curry or sometimes alone.

Dhania-Cilantro/Koriander

Fresh coriander leaves which are used as a garnish in curry dishes or in the preparation of savouries such as samoosas (A fried or baked triangular or semi lunar shell with a savoury filling). Pounded Coriander leaves are also an important ingredient in some chutney. When crushed they have and unmistakeable pungent smell. They can be chopped and used like parsley.

Garlic/Küüs lauk

A popular herb and part of the onion family which is often used fresh in combination with fresh root ginger, although in fish dishes only garlic is used. Garlic minces or liquidised with a little oil and salt will last well in the refrigerator, is always ready to use and saves time.

Ginger/Ingver

Ginger, like nearly all spices, contains a volatile oil that gives it its distinctive flavour which is aromatic, biting and slightly sweet. Fresh ginger is indispensible for making curries and breyanis and mixed with

garlic makes an excellent meat tenderiser. Dried whole ginger is more fibrous and less aromatic than fresh, but is more pungent. It can be powdered easily and retains its spicy flavour for a long time. Dried ginger can be used to flavour koeksister, konfyts (jams or preserves), puddings and cakes

Jeera-Cumin/Köö men

It is the Malay and Indian term for cumin, a caraway-shaped seed that looks like fennel, but is slightly more bitter. When the seeds are ground, the powder has a distinctive green colour. Jeera is an important ingredient for making various masalas, so is always used in curries and breyanis.

Coriander Seeds-Koljander/Koriander

It is a seed which tastes sweet and aromatic and should be roasted before being ground to bring out more curry-like flavour. Coriander seeds crushed together with jeera are widely used in curries and other meat dishes

Masala/Masala

Masala is a fragrant blend of spices used in curries, breyanis, atjars and many other savoury dishes. There are many different varieties of masala including wet and dry masala. There are special masalas for fish (with mustard seeds), chutneys, breyanis, rice dishes and vegetable atjars (Atjar was introduced to South Africa by the Malays about a century ago. It is a hot pickle or relish made of slices of fruit such as clingstone peaches, green mangoes, lemons and kumquats, or mixed vegetables –cauliflower and green tomatoes. These ingredients are packed in jars and covered in either vinegar or oil, mixed with red-hot chilli peppers and other curry spices. The atjar is then left in a cool place to mature for 1-3 months). Buy it fresh from your spice shop or supplier or make your own as needed and use the spices best suited to the particular dish you are preparing. Grind your spices preferably with a pestle and mortar.

Atjar masala: A special mixture of spices including mustard seeds, chilli powder, borrie, ground methi and salt. Oil is added to make a thick paste

Breyani masala: Made with whole jeera seeds, koljander, barishap, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon and star aniseed. Roast and grind before using.

Garam masala: Contains pounded fresh ginger, garlic, green chilli and coriander leaves.

Leaf masala: There are many varieties including red leaf masala, which has more ground chilli powder and is therefore hotter. Use for making meat curry. Yellow masala is similar to red leaf masala except that it has less chilli powder. Use in milder curries.

Methi-fenugreek/Lambalääts

It is also known as fenugreek. Mostly only the hard lentil-type seed is used. Ground with other spices, it is used to make curry powder or methi which is used to flavour some rice and vegetable dishes. This spice has an astringent aroma and should be used sparingly.

Mint/Piparmünt

When chopped, this clean-tasting herb blends well with savoury fillings for samoosas. Mint is very easy to grow and no garden, no matter how small, need be without this most useful herb. Mint leaves are used to great advantage for garnishing fresh fruit salads and punch

Mustard Seed/Sinepiseemned

It is a dark reddish-brown seed, slightly bigger than a poppy seed. Seafood dishes, atjars and pickles are greatly enhanced when flavoured with mustard seeds. Add whole mustard seeds to atjar masala for a more

pungent (sharp) flavour.

Nutmeg/Muskaatp ähkel

It is a spice that comes from the same tree as mace. The seed of the fruit is the nutmeg and the dried, reddish skin that covers the nutmeg is mace. Grated or ground nutmeg is frequently used as a garnish for boiled vegetables, and is flavouring in bredies and confectionary.

Saffron/Safran

Saffron is by far the rarest and most expensive spice in the world. The name is derived from the Arabic word Za’faran meaning yellow. The dark, reddish-orange stamens of the wild crocus are used mainly for colouring and flavouring rice dishes and puddings. It is one of the most wonderful spices to use in Breyani. To use, first infuse in hot water or add directly to the meat marinade when making breyani

Tamarind/Tamarind

The dark brown fruit of a tropical fruit that taste very much like a mixture of apricot and dates. Its sweet sour flavour makes it an excellent ingredient in sosaties and denningvleis.

Cape Malay Beef Mince Curry

1½ t-spoons turmeric 1½ t-spoons ground cumin 1½ t-spoons ground coriander 1½ t-spoons curry mix/masala1 cinnamon stick3 cassia sticks½ T-spoons salt 3 T-spoons oil4-5 medium onions 1½ T-spoons chopped ginger6 bay leaves Dry spices (variety)1 house of garlic finely chopped or minced 1.5 – 2 kg of minced beef or lamb 1 cup broth or stock 6 clovesWater 10 potatoes

Fry onions, garlic and ginger in oil till brown and soft. Add whole, dry spices and fry for a further 5 minutes to release the flavours. Add Minced meat and cook for 10 minutes then add stock. Add dry spices and cook for around 10 minutes then add potatoes. Cook until potatoes are soft.

For a variation on the above you can add chilli powder or fresh chillies to give it extra punch! You can also add Fruit chutney or dried apricots for a truly Cape Malay experience. Serve with fragrant Jasmine rice or good Basmati rice.

Recommended wine paring: Syrah, a spicy red that is soft and medium bodied

Rooti’s

1 kg of flour3 tablespoons of oilWater1 tea-spoon of saltButter

Aerate the mixture of flower and salt through your fingers after sifting through the sieve. This helps to make rooti’s light and fluffy. Use cold water and mix water and flour until you have a smooth dough with a good consistency. Knead until you see some bubbles appearing. Roll out the dough on a smooth surface with a rolling pin to around 1cm thickness. Brush/smear with a generous amount of soft butter and roll up like a sausage, bring the ends together and twist and let it rest for a while. Cut off small individual balls the size of golf balls. Roll it out and smear with butter. Roll it up and turn end towards each other, twist it a little and bring together in a ball. Rest in fridge for around 30 minutes. With rolling pin roll out rooti’s as round as possible. Fry on both sides with butter or oil until light brown. Fluff when you take it out of the pan.

Curry with Chapattis, fresh salsa with shallots, cilantro, vinegar and tomatoes and a bit of brown sugar and sweet potato dessert with lemon and lime peel, butter, brown sugar, stick cinnamon and served with custard. Fresh cucumber with plain yoghurt to cool down the palate and some good South African wines.