One of the best perks of loadshedding is that we can roll out the braai stand and make everyday feel like a holiday in the wilds! In fact, South Africans will find any excuse to braai, because #welovebraai! Here’s a wonderful way to spend Heritage Day with your family at the coals:
The Heritage Day Braai Theme
Colours: Theres no better time to embrace green and gold, and ok – we’ll accept it – the Checkers60 and FNB turquoise colour theme for your Heritage Day meal. So, look around the house or visit the local stores for anything in these colours that can lend to your theme.
Invites: Thank goodness for digital invites! Search through apps like Canva or PicCollage to create a beautiful invite, should you wish to have some friends and family over for the braai.
Dress Code: Proudly Soutrh African, of course! From Shweshwe to Go!Bokke gear, you choose!
Lets Get Cooking – a 5 course meal on the braai!
It’s ok Eskom – we got this! You can take away our power, throttle our reservoirs, but you will never take away our braai!
Hors-d’oeuvres or Appetizers – finger foods to wet the appetite
Choose one or all:
- Grilled Mushrooms – Use a veggie basket to grill big brown mushrooms on the braai. season with salt and garlic pepper on the grill. Drench with store bought or your own special cheese sauce.
- Foccacia – Use this 2 ingredient recipe for the perfect dough – can be made by hand!
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- 1 ½ cups self-rising flour
- 1 ¼ cups plain fat-free, Greek yogurt
- Knead to form a soft dough. Transfer to a cast iron pan greased with olive oil. Cover with lid and let it bake on the braai stand! Can be seasoned with garlic, rosemary, thyme and salt before baking.
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- Boerewors sosaties – cut boerewors into 4 pieces. Alternate on skewer with robot peppers. Season with salt and olive oil, while on the coals.
Palate Cleansers
Keep it simple to get ready for the big do- coming up next! You could do:
- a simple watermelon and cucumber salad, with crumbled feta and a salad dressing.
- sorbet popsicles
- and if you prefer something on the braai – go with corn on the cob!
Main Meals
Is this even a question! Of course traditional SA braai would be chops and boerwors, but lets play with some awesome ideas:
- Traditional Menu: Chops, sausages, boerewors, chicken and T-bone – its all in the smell!
- Traditional with a twist: add sticky ribs, kebabs, sosaties, beef rashers and more – #dontbeatjopbelekker
- More adventurous South African: Potjiekos! Make your favourite curry or leg of lamb using the black pot on the braai! Serve with 1/4 loaves of bread, hollowed out for perfect bunny chow!
- Burger Bros: Handmade or store bought patties, and chicken fillet braaied and served with your favourite pickles and toppings takes burgers to the next level. Try different bread rolls for a gourmet burger bar experience!
- Somethings Fishy: A fillet of fish, prawns, langoustines, crayfish and more on the braai make a special meal.
- Paella: From SA to Spain! Combine a good mix of mussels, prawns and other seafood with some good firm rice for the perfect paella (pronounced pa-yay-ja). You will need a paella pan for this.
- Wok-It: Empty out the weeks stocks of carrots, cabbage, peppers, pineapples and more, add some chicken or beef strips, prepared egg noodles and wok-it over the coals.
Salads and sides
Fresh leafy salads need no cooking – these are the simplest choices to go with braai. But, if you must:
- Pap and Chakalaka – both these dishes can be prepared in a cast iron pot on the coals. Best to prepare these first, before getting the mains going as they do take a while to cook.
- Nachos – Feeling Mexican? For baked Nachos, use a pizza pan and a dome lid on the braai.
- Best Spud Buddys: wrap your potatoes in good heavy foil and throw them in the coals. When done, season with butter, salt and pepper. Melting goodness!
- Cheesy Garlic and Asparagus Rolls: Use store bought sliced garlic bread loaves. Open foils and stuff asparagus slithers in the slits. Drizzle garlic sauce, sprinkle lots of cheese and some paprika, wrap in foil and leave it on the coals for some more melting goodness.
Desserts
Give me Smores!
- The sweet ending is definitely smores! Go wild
- These banana and bar-one wraps are wonderful too!
- Store bought waffles and pancakes can be reheated on the coals and served with ice cream
- And of course, you could get the kids to braai marshmallows!
Tea or Coffee
Get yourself one of those simple enamel kettles – you will thank me later!
- Bring water to boil on the braai and add either tea leaves or coffeelets (loose coffee) as you prefer. Stir in milk and sugar.
- For a more soulful cup: use condensed milk to sweeten instead of milk and sugar.
- Caramelised coffee: Allow sugar to melt slightly at the bottom of your kettle. Add coffee powder to this for a few minutes. Now add water and milk and bring to the boil.
Other Ideas
- Invite friends over and have a potjie competition
- Send out the invite with a competition for the best menu suggestion
- Play garden games – we recently hired from Andys Action Parties – and it was a hit!
- Have a picnic – what lovely weather! Click here for picnic spots
What a wonderful way to make great memories! Hope your day is special!
Article prepared and suggested by TIKLYS braai. For a gourmet braai experience and fully catered halaal braai for any occasion (5-1000 guests!) please contact @moetikly on Instagram. Birthdays, weddings, bridal showers, year end functions, corporate platters, pop-up festivals and more – lets braai!
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