There are two strict – and surprising – rules when it comes to this stew

The dish: Potjiekos, South Africa

South African potjiekos … strictly no stirring. Credit: iStock

Plate up
Let’s do the pronunciation first. You’re probably looking at potjiekos and thinking: “Pot-gee-eh-koss?” Seems reasonable. However, the correct pronunciation for this South African staple is “poy-kee-koss”. Now that we have that out of the way we can dive into the deliciousness of potjiekos, which translates as “pot food”, because that’s what it is: food in a pot. A potjie is a round, cast-iron cooking vessel with three stumpy legs, perfect for chucking on an open fire and cooking a stew over many hours.

To make potjiekos, hunks of stewing meat – beef, mutton, game meat, sometimes chicken – are seared in the bottom of the potjie, before a mix of vegetables and herbs are added. The whole lot is covered with water, stock or wine (or a mixture), the lid is put on and nothing is touched for several hours as the stew bubbles over an open fire. Eventually the pot is cracked open, the stew is stirred, and you’re ready to eat.

First serve
Potjies originated in the Netherlands: there’s evidence of the Dutch eating from big cast-iron pots as far back as the 16th century. By the time Dutch colonists made their way to the southern tip of Africa in the 17th century, and then on into the continent’s interior, they were carrying their potjies and making a simple stew, which came to be known as potjiekos. Early versions were apparently rolling affairs, with fresh meat and vegetables topping up the pot each day as the stew was consumed.

Order there
Though potjiekos is typically a casual dish that you would eat with friends on a camping trip, rather than in a restaurant, you can sample an excellent version at Karibu Restaurant in Cape Town (kariburestaurant.co.za).

Order here
There’s not much point looking for a restaurant in Australia serving potjiekos. Instead, you’re going to need to make your own, which means you will need a potjie. Grab one from the South African Shop in Melbourne (thesouthafricanshop.com.au) or Springbok Delights in Sydney (springbokdelights.com.au).

One more thing
There are two elements that are essential to making an authentic potjiekos: it has to be cooked over charcoal or wood fire, and the stew cannot be stirred until the very end.