Vetkoek

What Is Vetkoek?

This basic 3-ingredient recipe for fried bread is a little lighter than my hometown African fried dough, but it holds its own when filled with minced meat. The simple mixture is made with cake flour, yeast, and a little sugar to make the yeast and me happy. I don’t count water and salt because that’s a given.

Why cake flour for making bread? Glad you asked. The lower protein content gives it a more tender crumb and less chew. That means the filling is more likely to stay in the sandwich instead of ending up on the plate and making a mess.

Whew! I am so glad this came out right after just two tries. If not, I would have been stuffing myself with it and having buyer’s remorse after the deed is done. I do that a lot around here.

I give myself the liberty to indulge on weekends (when I am developing recipes). On weekdays, for the most part, I fairly stick to a healthy diet, mostly comprising of quick and easy salmon recipes. I eat it at least 2-3 times a week, coupled with a salad, in between other reduced-calorie meals. So when the weekend rolls around, I am famished and ready to go at it.

How to Make Vetkoek

The Sandwich Buns

1. Mix the salt, sugar, yeast, and water. Set aside for 5 minutes so the yeast activates. Add flour, then mix the dough until everything comes together. (Photo 1)
2. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1-2 hours or until doubled. (Photo 2)
3. Knead the dough until firm, adding flour as needed. Roll out dough to 1-inch thick, cut into desired shapes, or use a 3-inch or larger cookie cutter to cut dough into circles. (Photo 3)
4. Heat at least 3 inches (7-8cm) of vegetable oil on medium heat until it’s 350℉ (180℃).
5. Fry until golden brown, 3-5 minutes depending on size. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let them cool. (Photo 4)
6. Serve warm, filled with a serving of curry mince meat.

The Curry Filling

1. Sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and paprika for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. (Photo 5)
2. Add the tomatoes, and continue cooking for about 3 minutes. Then add the potatoes, minced meat, cayenne pepper, and white pepper, and mix until thoroughly combined. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add the peas and carrots, cook for another minute or two, add parsley, and adjust the seasoning to taste. (Photos 6-8)

Tips and Notes

• How long it takes for the dough to rise will depend on the weather or the kitchen temperature. To speed up rising, fill a bowl with warm water, then put it on the bottom of the oven (not turned on), and put the bowl of dough on the top shelf. The heat and humidity will make the dough rise faster.
• For a healthier version (aka not fried), brush the formed buns with oil, and bake in a preheated 400℉ (205℃) oven. And you can totally cook these in a preheated air fryer.
• You know, I thought about making it sweet instead of savory, then decided against it. If you want to serve it with apricot jam and cheese, simply add ¼ cup of sugar. Enjoy!!

Making it Ahead

Keep the dough in the fridge for a day or two, and it will rise much more slowly. Then, when you’re ready to fry the bread, all you need to do is warm it up and proceed with the kneading and rolling instructions.

Reheat fried vetkoek in an oven or air fryer so it doesn’t get too oily. And the curry meat filling is even better the next day. The bread and filling both freeze well, so don’t feel you have to eat it all at once.

More Satisfying Sandwich Recipes to Try

• Cuban Sandwich
• Muffaletta
• Jibarito
• Shrimp Po’ Boy
• Chicken Sandwich

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”kHGmyn2p” upload-date=”2020-11-24T05:39:24.000Z” name=”Vetkoek” description=”South African Vetkoek aka Fat Cake, crispy outside and warm and fluffy inside filled with minced curry.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]

This blog post was originally published in February 2015 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.