Let’s BRAAI!

The general consensus is that National Braai Day is “Mother’s Day: The Sequel” where mom can sit back and let the food cook itself. But let’s be realistic – we’ll probably end up slicing tomatoes and spicing the chops anyway, so you might as well prepare yourself and put a couple of ideas up your sleeve.

Now, we all know how to make a grilled sandwich and potato salad, and like any braaier will tell you: Don’t mess with the menu. Then again, why not put a flavoursome twist on the proudly South African braai this year? The neighbours are sure to whisper about it for months to come.

• Roast a couple of golden mealies over the fire and serve with cream cheese, sour cream or flavoured butter. For easy handling, poke a skewer stick into the core.
• There’s nothing quite like a braai sandwich, but instead of tomato and cheese play around with fillings such as: Pear, honey and ricotta/pesto, tomato and mozzarella/avo, bacon and muster.
• Pick up some bread dough from your local grocer and make “stokbrood” (bread on a stick). Instead of the usual jam and butter, serve with a selection of pestos and cheeses.
• Braai sweet potatoes in foil and serve with sour cream and chives, or honey and cinnamon.
• Make chicken skewers with baby marrow, red pepper and baby onions.
• Instead of potato salad, grill potato halves over the fire and serve with the usual potato salad trimmings, or pestos and relishes.
• Most kids don’t like the different foods and sauces mixing on their plates, so instead of a big bowl of potato or three bean salad, make little bowls that fit cutely on the plate.
• Make boerewors skewers by arranging the sausage in a zig-zag pattern and poking the skewer right through the middle.
• Instead of a traditional garlic loaf, fill a French loaf with biltong bits and creamy cheddar. Wrap it in foil and place on the grill.
• Braai a snoek and serve with a rich lemon and garlic butter sauce.
• Make mini hamburgers – the adults will love ’em and the kids will finish ’em.
• Set out a big bowl of marshmallows for braaiing, and serve with a plate of biscuits (chocolate digestives work brilliantly) and sweet dips and sprinkles.
• Zhoosh up the traditional malva pudding with a dash of crème liqueur for the adults and ice cream and berries for the kiddies.
• Slit open a banana, slip in a few chunks of chocolate and wrap it in tin foil before placing it on the fire. Mmmmm…

More Braai ideas and credits for the photos included above can be found on the Braai Ideas Pinterest Board!