This uniquely flavored Potjie is a favorite and already won the Northern Transvaal Potjiekos Competition! – Lovely served with a hot buttered, crispy baked garlic or French loaf!
Total Calories of Dish: 6,836 (excluding extra water, whey or lemon juice added)
Total Weight of dish: 6340 g
Serves 6-8
Note: I add some coarse salt to coffee grinder together with some dried rosemary to replace tarragon (You may use marjoram to replace tarragon) and whole peppercorns, ground it to a medium grind and added it to my marinade. If replacing tarragon with marjoram (if prefer) add it straight to your marinade without grinding.
You may leave the skins on your potatoes if you prefer the extra nutrient density and fiber.
I marinated mine overnight using my homemade Greek yogurt. I’ve used 2 large sweet red peppers in place of green. Extras I’ve added were: 3 large fresh garlic cloves, which I crushed with salt and added it right before serving. Garlic keeps it’s strength this way, but it is entirely up to you and you may add more to taste. I also added 20 – 30 ml of smoked paprika to taste and dried parsley toward the end of cooking. Do NOT use the ordinary supermarket paprika it is no good (South Africa) It will just ruin this dish turning it bitter! Best omitted!
I also add a few squeezes fresh lemon juice to taste but I lie! I used my sour whey instead leftover from making cream cheese (it reaches the sourness of lemons on bottling).
The lemon zest gives this dish an extra flavor boost. This Potjie can be served with baked potatoes or on a bed of rice as the pot has a lovely sauce.
A South African Falkirk size 3 Potjie (7.8 liter cast iron pot) is recommended. If you are doing this on the stove top you will need a 6 liter pot. You may use a 5 liter pot if you cook your potatoes separately and only add them once the sauce has been reduced or your 5 liter pot will definitely overflow.
Tip: I used a mixture of whole green and black peppercorns which I ground up in coffee grinder together with some coarse salt and dried rosemary to a medium course grind, which I added to my marinade. I never added the apricots.
These were my below ingredients entered onto https://www.caloriecount.com excluding apricots.
Ingredients:
2 kg Chicken pieces, whole (skin on)
2 Green peppers, cut lengthwise
300 g Carrots, peeled and sliced
6 Large potatoes, peeled and quartered
200 g Green beans, cut into pieces
150 g Mushrooms, sliced
Salt to taste
55 g Soup Powder [198200]
The Marinade:
500ml Yoghurt
500ml Dry white wine
10 ml Dried thyme
10 ml lemon peel, grated
1 Large onion, finely chopped
5 ml Ground black pepper
Salt to taste
3 (1 g) Bay leaves (tsp,+crumbled)
5 ml Dried tarragon (May replace with rosemary or marjoram – I used Rosemary)
100 g apricots (optional) – Not included in calorie count which I never added.
Method:
- Mix all ingredients for the marinade. Pour over the chicken and allow to marinate 6 to 8 hours.
- Heat the pot until very warm and braise the chicken a few pieces at a time along with the green pepper until golden brown.
- Layer the carrots, potatoes, apricots (optional), beans and mushrooms above the meat. Sprinkle the salt over and pour in the marinade.
- Cover with the lid and allow the pot to simmer approximately 2 hours.
- If after this there is still too much liquid in pot, mix the soup powder into the sauce following instructions on package and allow the Potjie to simmer for a further 15 minutes.
Continue to simmering until done. Adjust seasoning and Serve and enjoy!