Rising star chef Ukhonaye Mconi on his favourite South African-inspired dishes
South African food is vibrant, cosmopolitan, and truly unique - just like the country’s people and culture.
A mixture of African, Dutch, French, and Malay, among others, have influenced South African cuisine through the decades. If you're looking for inspiration in the kitchen, look no further than chef Ukhonaye Mconi, a dynamic rising star on the South African culinary scene.
As both a lecturer at Capsicum Culinary Studio and as a chef, Mconi brings a passion for cooking and a love of traditional South African flavours and ingredients to every dish he creates. One of the concepts he loves to incorporate into his cooking is the ‘Seven Colours’ food culture which has become a tradition on South African tables on Sundays. Mconi incorporates the concept of ‘Seven Colours’ into his cooking by using a variety of ingredients and flavours and by showcasing traditional South African dishes in new and innovative ways.
“I love the idea of having a meal that represents all the different cultures and communities in South Africa. It's a way to bring people together and celebrate both our similarities and our differences. Being a chef is more than just cooking and presenting beautiful plates. It is an art that requires so much of the chef, mentally, physically and emotionally. The passion you have is your saving grace during those times when the going gets tough. This industry needs a different kind of bravery and a different kind of creativity. I always tell my students to identify where their passion lies in this industry and go for it,” he said.
Below are some of Ukhonaye Mconi’s favourite recipes.
Rooibos and granadilla gin cocktail
Ingredients
150ml rooibos tea
2 tbsp granadilla pulp
30ml craft gin
40ml ginger beer
Tonic water
Method
In a jug, add your rooibos, granadilla, and gin, and mix well. Strain into a glass filled with ice. Add the ginger beer and top it off with a splash of tonic water.
Tempura broccoli
Ingredients
150g tender-stem broccoli (trim any leaves on the stem)
200g flour (50g for initial dusting)
150ml sparkling water
8g smoked paprika
Oil for deep frying
Method
In a bowl, whisk together the 150g flour, paprika, and sparkling water, making sure it is not too thin or too thick (looking for a syrupy consistency). Preheat the oil. Dip the broccoli in the dusting flour (50g) then into the flour paste and straight into the hot oil. Cook until crispy. Strain the broccoli, drain on a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper before serving.
Smashed potatoes
Ingredients
5 baby potatoes, boiled with skin on until soft
5 tbsp butter
5g fresh thyme sprigs
4g fresh rosemary, chopped
50g bacon bits, fried
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, place the potatoes on top, and bash with the bottom of a clean bottle, to flatten the potato and get the skin ripped. In a bowl, mix the butter and herbs, then spoon them onto each potato. Top with bacon bits and grated Parmesan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden and crispy. Serve immediately.