A Taste of South Africa: Vetkoek (featuring Bethy and Jurni)
If there’s one dish that embodies comfort food in South Africa, it’s Vetkoek with Minced Curry. This beloved street food and home-cooked classic is a deep-fried bread roll filled with a savory, spiced mince curry. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and packed with flavor, it’s a dish that brings warmth and nostalgia to every bite.
Whether you’re looking for a hearty snack, a satisfying meal, or a way to explore South African cuisine, this Vetkoek and Minced Curry recipe is the perfect place to start!
Pronounced “fet-cook”, this Afrikaans term means “fat cake.” It’s essentially a deep-fried dough that is golden and crispy on the outside while remaining pillowy and soft inside. Vetkoek can be enjoyed plain with butter and jam (or powdered sugar) or stuffed with a flavorful minced curry for a savory delight.
Thank you to the Junior Chefs Bethy and Jurni for sharing this recipe! Should they do another curry recipe? Let us know below!
Print your Vetkoek and Minced Curry recipe here:
Vetkoek and Minced Curry
Ingredients for the minced curry:
- 1 pound ground meat/ mince
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 whole onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- 3 tomatoes, diced
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups potatoes, diced
- 1 cup peas and carrots
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce or cayenne pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons parsley or cilantro
Ingredients for the fatcake:
- 5 ½ cups cake flour plus more
- 2 teaspoons of Salt
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 packet yeast (2 1/4 teaspoon)
- 2 cups lukewarm water
For Fatcake:
- Mix together the warm water, sugar, and yeast–set aside 5 minutes.
- Add salt and flour together, then add to frothy yeast.
- Mix the wet into the dry, scraping the bowl as needed. Mix until it comes together in a dough (it will be wetter than bread dough).
- Cover the dough and allow it to rest in a warm place until doubled (an hour or so).
- Make the curry filling before you fry the bread.
- Turn the dough onto a pastry mat generously floured. Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until the dough has come into a firm dough.
- Portion your dough into desired shapes/sizes depending on the size of your belly (this makes 6 large or 10 smallish). You can roll out the dough and then cut with a biscuit cutter.
- If using a deep fryer: Add fry oil to your fryer and preheat to 350.
- If using a saucepan, you need about 3 inches of preheated oil.
- Add the dough to the heated oil for 3-5 minutes, flipping when needed, and removed when dark golden brown. Remove fatcake to drain on a paper towel.
For Minced Curry:
- In a large skillet, add the oil, onions, potatoes, and ground meat. Saute 3-5 minutes until the onions take on some color and the meat started to brown.
- If you are using raw veggies, add them in now. If you are using canned, wait to add them until the end.
- Add in garlic and all the spices and saute for another 2-3 minutes stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Add diced tomatoes and cook stirring frequently until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Fry your cakes now if you haven’t already.
- Once the potatoes are soft, add in your cooked veggies and stir for another minute or two or until they are hot.
- Add in your parsley or cilantro and mix well. Taste and adjust your salt and pepper or cayenne as needed.
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