Ujeqe
ujeqe wesizulu
Zulu steamed bread, traditionally cooked in a pot and served with meat, beans, or relish.
About this dish
Ujeqe is a steamed-bread tradition associated with Zulu cooking in South Africa. Its soft yeasted loaf is served with relish, beans or meat; this recipe uses a heatproof bowl rather than an improvised plastic cooking bag.
Recipe
Zulu ujeqe steamed loaf
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 320 ml lukewarm water
- 7 g instant yeast
- 25 g sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
Serve
- 400 g prepared chakalaka
- 1
Use 500 g all-purpose flour; 320 ml lukewarm water; 7 g instant yeast and the listed remaining ingredients. Knead flour, water, yeast, sugar and salt until smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover and rise until doubled. Use lukewarm liquid, knead smooth and rise covered until doubled.
- 2
Oil a 1.5 L heatproof bowl. Deflate dough, form into a ball and place in the bowl; it should fill no more than halfway. Proof 20 minutes. Oil bowl lightly, tuck seam under ball and leave at least half the bowl empty for growth.
- 3
Cover loosely with greased foil, allowing expansion. Set on a rack over simmering water in a large covered pot and steam 60-75 minutes, topping up water as needed. Use a rack above water, leave foil loose and time from steady steam; top up with boiling water.
- 4
Serve: 400 g prepared chakalaka. Check a skewer emerges clean, rest 10 minutes and unmold. Slice and serve with chakalaka. Test the thickest center, release steam before handling and loosen gently after resting; return to steaming if raw.
Note
Use a heatproof bowl, not an ordinary plastic shopping bag. This is a whole steamed loaf rather than stew-top dumplings.