Where there's a will, there's a braai – at least in South Africa. This outdoor barbecue is the social centrepiece of every weekend lunch, family celebration or national holiday, and it cooks everything from whole meats to toasties and even pie.
Braai is a social occasion
For South African-born chef, , a braai "is more of a ceremony than just lighting up the barbecue". It begins with fire. This is made using local wood or charcoal; wood being the traditional and preferred method because it brings out the smokiness of the meat.
[A braai] is more of a ceremony than just lighting up the barbecue.
Once the fire is hot, a grill is placed on top and the meat is barbecued to perfection. The fire remains lit for the duration of the event, even once all the meat is cooked. Guests gather around, talking and eating until the sun goes down.
What do you braai?
The beauty of the braai is that it barbecues almost anything.
"South Africans have long cooked carbs on the braai with their braaibroodjie (the equivalent of a jaffle cooked in between metal grills) and braaibrood (meaning barbecued bread in Afrikaans)," explains Mendes, who favours a coriander seed butter braaibrood.
Pie on the braai is a recent trend, and it's made by filling puff pastry with grilled meat, cheese or leftovers, then 'braai-ing' it.
A South African braaibroodjie is like a jaffle. Source: Warren Mendes
"Most people have a folding metal grill they use to cook boerewors – the spiral spiced sausage – which helps keep the spiral shape in place when you turn it, so the concept of containing a pie to cook on both sides is one I totally get behind," Mendes says.
"I would make braai pie as a starter before my braai meal, so I love the idea of something with cheese. Maybe a quattro formaggi braai pie – a South African and Italian mash-up."
South Africans love spice, so Mendes also wants to make a chicken curry braai pie.
The term "braai" refers to both the equipment and the activity of barbecuing meat. Source: Supplied
"Chutney is certainly a must to be served alongside," he recommends. "You could also serve with chakalaka, the famous South African vegetable relish."
To achieve a flaky pie, Mendes advises greasing up the grill and cooking it over a gentle heat, rather than over flames, since "you will just scorch the pastry and it will be raw on the underside".
Braaibroodjie
A braaibroodjie is a great snack to have a few hours after your braai. It should be cooked over a coal braai, so prepare your coal barbecue, or use the heat from a recent braai. Alternatively, preheat a gas barbecue over medium flame.
Makes 2
Ingredients
- 50 g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 slices thick white bread
- 2 tbsp spiced fruit chutney, plus extra to serve
- 100 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tomato, thinly sliced
Quick chilli pickle
- 1 small red onion, sliced thinly into rounds
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp sugar and salt
Method
- For the quick pickle, combine the onion, vinegar, chilli, sugar and salt in a bowl, and set aside to pickle for at least 10 minutes.
- Butter both sides of each slice of bread.
- Spread the mango chutney over two slices of bread, then top each with the cheddar then the tomato.
- Drain onion rings from the pickle juice and place some on top of the cheese with the tomato.
- Season the tomato, then place the remaining slices of bread on top of each to make sandwiches.
- Place one sandwich between a folding braai grid (this will keep it secure). Cook gently, turning, until both sides are charred and the cheese inside has melted. Repeat for the remaining sandwich. Alternatively, just place them straight on your regular grill.
- Serve with some salt flakes and extra chutney.
