Mexican vetkoek bites

A nostalgic South African treat with a Mexican twist.

SERVES 12

Easy

40 min

30 min

RECIPE DEVELOPED BY:

Huibré Schwartz - ICA third year student specialising in Culinary Media Communication

STYLING & PHOTOGRAPHY:

Huibré Schwartz - ICA third year student specialising in Culinary Media Communication

WINE PAIRING:

VETKOEK DOUGH

250ml (1 cup) cake flour

5ml (1 tsp) instant yeast

60ml (¼ cup) granulated sugar

5ml (1 tsp) fine salt

250ml (1 cup) lukewarm water

oil for deep frying

BEEF FILLING

5ml (1 tsp) oil

5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin

5ml (1 tsp) ground coriander

5ml (1 tsp) paprika

60ml (¼ cup) red onion, finely chopped

5ml (1 tsp) garlic, crushed

60ml (¼ cup) red pepper, finely chopped

60ml (¼ cup) Jalapeños, finely chopped

250g beef mince

30ml (2 tbsp) Santa Anna’s Tomato & Red Pepper Salsa

5ml (1 tsp) fine salt

PICKLED RED ONION

125ml (½ cup) white sugar

125ml (½ cup) apple cider vinegar

60ml (¼ cup) water

125ml (½ cup) red onion, finely chopped

salt, to season

MAYONNAISE

250ml (1 cup) French-style mayonnaise

125ml (½ cup / 125g) Santa Anna’s Tomato & Red Pepper Salsa

TO SERVE

60g pineapple slices, chargrilled and finely diced

1 Jalapeño, thinly sliced

60ml (¼ cup) Santa Anna’s Cheese Flavour Corn Tortilla Chips, finely crushed

For the vetkoek dough, mix the water, yeast, sugar, salt and in a bowl. Gradually mix in flour, until a kneadable dough forms
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, 8 minutes.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a cloth, and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
Divide the dough into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a ball by hand.
Proof the dough balls for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil for deep-frying to 160°C and fry the vetkoek balls in batches until golden and crisp, 4-5 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper.
For the beef filling, heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the spices, onion, garlic, red pepper and jalapeños and cook until fragrant, 5 minutes.
Add the beef mince and fry until browned, 5 minutes. Stir in the salsa and season with salt.
For the pickled red onions, combine the sugar, vinegar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the sugar to dissolve. Remove from the heat and pour the liquid over the sliced onions. Season with salt and set aside to cool.
For the mayonnaise, stir the ingredients together.
To serve, cut each vetkoek in half. Hollow out each half and fill with the beef mince.
Top with a dollop of mayonnaise, some pickled red onions, finely chopped pineapple, jalapeño slices and crushed corn chips.

TIP: Use the vetkoek pieces that have been hollowed out to make croutons. Drizzle the pieces with a little bit of oil, toast in a pan until golden and crisp, and season to taste.

As part of a unique partnership with @SantaAnnas, ICA third-year students were tasked with creating original recipes using Santa Anna’s range of authentic Mexican-style products – reimagined through a South African lens. The theme: Mexican Style, South African GEES!
This dish, developed, styled and photographed by Culinary Media Communication student Huibré Schwartz, offers a playful spin on a local favourite. Her dish reimagines a traditional vetkoek with a Mexican flavour profile. The fried dough is filled with cumin and coriander-spiced beef mince, finished with chipotle mayo, pickled red onions, grilled pineapple, jalapeños and crushed corn tortilla chips for added texture.

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