If you have a sweet tooth, then you'll love koeksisters! This is a recipe for one of South Africa's best-loved baked sweet. Koeksister is derived from the Dutch word koekje, which means "cookie" and is a syrup-coated doughnut in either a twisted or braided shape. 

South Africa, being a cultural pot, has two types of koeksister - the Cape Malay and the Afrikaner. The former is spicier and usually covered in dried coconut, while the latter has more syrup and is crispier.

(BRAIDED) KOEKSISTERS RECIPE

Ingredients – dough

2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoon baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 large egg
4 tbsp butter/margarine
½ cup of water
oil for frying

Ingredients – syrup

1kg sugar
1 ½ cinnamon sticks
½ tsp ground ginger
1 ½ cups of water
juice of one lemon

Directions – syrup (Prepare the day before as needs to be very cold)

1. Dissolve sugar in the water
2. Add the spices and lemon juice to the mix and bring to boil until it thicken
3. Leave the syrup cool in the fridge overnight

Directions – dough

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together
2. Rub in the butter and mix until pliable
3. Add the egg and water (adding the water a little bit at a time)
4. Work the dough well until the lumps disappear. Continue to work until it balls up
5. Let the dough rest at room temperature for about three hours (under an inverted mixing bowl)

Preparation

1. Roll the dough dough out to a thickness of 5mm
2. Cut the dough into strips of 6cm long x 2cm wide
3. Cut each of these strips into three more strips leaving the strips connected at the top
4. Braid each strip and pinch together at the end
5. Deep fry until golden brown
6. Remove from the oil, drain and quickly dip the koeksisters into the cold syrup

Samp and Beans is a traditional dish of the Nguni people of South Africa. Referred to as isistambu by the Zulu people and umngqusho by the Xhosa people – the biggest Nguni groups – the dish is made from slowly cooked sugar beans and samp (crushed corn kernels).

It is beleived that the word 'samp' comes from the Native American word naussamp which the English called "samp". Seeing that South Africa was also once a British colony, it is likely that the word travelled to the country's shores in due time.

In today's South Africa, Samp and Beans is a popular staple food and is sold pre-packed and already mixed for easier preparation. Samp and Beans is also a favourite of former South African president Nelson Mandela, so fans of the icon might take an interest in sampling this recipe.

Normally served as a side dish to a main course, there are several ways to prepare and serve Samp and Beans. It can be made with chillies or curry, for those who prefer a hot kick. Or, it can be kept simple and be prepared with no spice at all. Some serve Samp and Beans with meat and gravy, or if flavourful enough, it can be enjoyed on its own. Here is a basic recipe.

SAMP AND BEANS (UMNGQUSHO OR ISITAMBU) RECIPE

Serves 10

Ingredients

• 500g samp (substitute: hominy) – rinsed and soaked overnight
• 500g sugar beans (substitute: black eyed peas) – rinsed and soaked overnight
• salt to taste
• oil
• 1 onion
• 2-3 tsp curry powder
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
• 1-2 tomatoes
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 2 potatoes
• 50 ml butter (optional)

Directions

1. Mix the samp and beans together and soak overnight.
2. Drain the water after soaking and place the samp and bean mix in a large pot. Add 5-6 cups of water and allow to simmer slowly, allowing most of the water to evaporate. Cook until the samp and the beans start to get soft. If not soft enough, add more water. Season with salt to taste.
3. While the samp and beans cook, sauté the onion in a little oil until translucent. Add the garlic and curry powder. Allow to cook for a 1 -2 minutes to get flavor out. Add the tomato, vegetable stock , ½ cup of water, and potatoes. Allow to simmer until potatoes are slightly soft.
4. Drain the slightly soft samp and beans and add to the mixture. Allow to cook slowly until the potatoes, samp and beans are soft.
5. Stir in the butter. Serve hot with a main course of choice.