Shisanyama chefs’ top tips
Come to Moses Mabhida tomorrow for a ‘braai-off’
THE SMELL of sizzling prime steak and boerewors will fill the air around Moses Mabhida stadium tomorrow.
As part of Heritage Day weekend, six chefs will be going headto-head over open-flame grills at People’s Park East as they prepare some man-size rumps along with side dishes of chakalaka, pap and uJeqe.
The organisers of the first Shisa Nyama Awards and Festival claim Durbanites are invited to the biggest communal sit-down ever held in the city, where “one vibrant culture will be lighting the fire for all to gather around”.
Leading the field will be uMlazi’s Max’s Lifestyle owner Max Mqadi who said, “When you are talking shisa nyama (braaied meat), you are talking technique as to how you braai and the cut of meat, which must be big.”
One of the signature dishes at Max’s Lifestyle is the boerewors, for which Mqadi said he has his own secret combination of spices.
“We prepare our own boerewors and we also do liver and kidney. We make the best hot sauce, along with chakalaka. Before shisa nyama, it was about just braaing a piece of meat. We have changed this culture,” said Mqadi.
Owner of Cafe Skyzer in Chesterville, Bless Makhanye, said his chef would be preparing a variety of food from chicken wings to T-bone steaks.
“The perfect steak is making sure you have quality-grade meat, and the seasoning plays a big role. The meat must be marinated all night. We will also be doing pork chops with phutu and spinach. We know the competition we will be up against on Sunday,” said Makhanye.
The owner of Eyadini Lounge in uMlazi, MJ Zama, said he would be serving a good spread of meat from short rib, to T-bone, rump, lamb chops and sausage.
“We are well known for our lamb and we always have top of the range, whether it’s rump fillet or lamb wors.
“The secret is in turning the meat frequently, having a good spice and cooking it at the right temperature once the flames die down,” said Zama, adding that a cold beer, a good whisky or champagne goes well with shisa nyama.
Adding fish to the mix will be Dineo Tshabalala, who owns One and Only in KwaMashu.
Tshabalala said her chef, Mxolisa Ndimande, will be in charge of the hake on the grill.
“We have a special basting sauce which makes the meat very tender and juicy. We are known for our fish, which is done on an open flame, but we will also be doing traditional shisa nyama with some prime meat.
“We will also have chakalaka and sambals. It’s going to be a fun day for all of us,” he said.
Sibusiso Goqo, from Sbu’s Lounge in Inanda, said his sister Fortunate’s famous chakalaka and pap will be dished up with steak, as well as his well-known chicken “dust” (quarter chicken).
Last but not least Tate Mchunu, owner of Tate’s Kasi Grill in Clermont, says his sauces are the secret to his success.
“We use a combination of ingredients for our sauces which provide an outstanding taste.
“For the festival we will be doing steak and chicken. The secret to a good steak is the seasoning and marinade before taking it to the fire,” says Mchunu.
Everyone is welcome, from noon. See www.ShisaNyamaFestival.co.za or buy tickets at iTickets.