Homemade Vetkoek with Curried Mince

There is arguably no more traditional South African dish than Vetkoek (fried dough). Paired with a flavourful curried mince, homemade vetkoek is a favourite in most South African homes. From school fetes to church bazaars to granny’s lunch table, most South Africans have had these delicious fried morsels more times than they can probably remember. Homemade vetkoek is always the most delicious though whether paired with savoury or sweet fillings.

Homemade Vetkoek with Curried Mince

Vanessa Vermaak

There is arguably no more traditional South African dish than Vetkoek (fried dough). Paired with a flavourful curried mince, homemade vetkoek is a favourite in most South African homes. From school fetes to church bazaars to granny's lunch table, most South Africans have had these delicious fried morsels more times than they can probably remember. Homemade vetkoek is always the most delicious though whether paired with savoury or sweet fillings.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Rising time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

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Vetkoek

• 2 tsp Sugar I use brown
• 2 Cups Warm water Not hot as it will kill the yeast
• 2 tsp Instant dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 4½ Cups All-Purpose/Cake Flour Plus approx. ½ cup for kneading
• 1 tsp Salt
• Oil for deep Frying

Curried Mince

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Mild/medium curry powder Depending on the heat level you like
• ½ tsp Masala or Mother in Laws Spice
• ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Ground Ginger
• ¼ tsp Turmeric
• 1 Dash of ground all spice
• ½ Cup Onion finely chopped
• ½ Cup Carrot finely chopped
• 2 Cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 500 Grams Minced/ground beef
• 1 Tin of chopped tomatoes 400g
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ½ Cup Peas Fresh or frozen
• ½ Cup Sweet Corn Kernels Tinned, fresh or frozen
• 1 Tbsp Chutney (Any fruit flavour) Optional
• 2 Tbsp Fresh herbs or chives, Finely chopped Optional
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Vetkoek

• Add the sugar to a large bowl and add the warm water, giving it a quick stir to help it dissolve a bit. Sprinkle over the yeast and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes
• Add the oil, then sieve in the flour and salt. Mix until fully combined and a soft bread dough forms. The mixture must still be quite sticky
• Place the dough on a floured surface and gently knead for 5 minutes.  You may need to add a little more flour if the dough is still too sticky
• Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and set aside in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size. Approx. 1 hour
• Turn the dough out, divide into equal portions and form into smaller balls. Depending on the size of your balls you should get around 12 – 18 Vetkoek from the dough
• Allow the dough balls to rest for another 15 minutes, while you are preparing and heating the oil. The oil must be at medium heat. Test the temperature by dropping a dough 'crumb' into the oil. If it immediately makes bubbles and rises to the top, the oil is ready. Just ensure that the oil is not too hot otherwise the Vetkoek will brown too quickly and the interior will not be cooked. This is where patience will pay off and yield a soft fluffy inside and a golden brown outside.
• Deep fry a few Vetkoek at a time. Do not crowd the pot as it will lower the temperature and also not allow the Vetkoek to puff up. The Vetkoek should turn themselves in the oil, if not, turn them manually for even golden coverage
• When cooked, remove carefully from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate to cool and drain excess oil. I would recommend testing the first one to check that it is cooked through. When they are all cooked, leave to cool just for a couple of minutes before serving. If you cut them too early they will be doughy on the inside

Curried Mince

• Add the olive oil and all the spices to a large pan and bring to medium heat, cooking out the spices but not burning them. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the onion and carrots
• Cook for about two to three minutes, just softening the veg, not browning them, then add the garlic and stir through
• Add the minced beef, breaking it up and ensuring that it is all covered in the spices. Continue to cook and stir for about two to three minutes. You can turn up the heat slightly to give the meat some colour but do not have it too high and do not cook the meat through totally. Season the meat with salt and pepper
• Add the tin of tomatoes and the sugar and let it cook on medium heat for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add a lid if you don't want to loose to much moisture, but I don't like my mince too saucy when using for Vetkoek. Just ensure you regulate the temperature to ensure the mixture does not burn. You want a slow simmer
• Add the peas and sweetcorn and cook for 5 minutes. Taste the mixture and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Add the chutney and herbs at this point and stir through
• Remove from the heat and set aside until you are ready to serve the Vetkoek.

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Keyword Curried Mince, Fried dough, Mince Curry, Traditional, Traditional South African Food, Vetkoek