Dinner At Matloha’s, Liziwe Matloha

If you are a beginner cook, looking for a sense of family in your own home, then Dinner At Matloha’s is the perfect recipe book for you.

Dinner at Matloha’s  is about bringing family and friends together around the table. As dishes are passed around and plates are piled high, it is not only food that is shared.

Conversation flows, people smile, and stories are told. Sharing a meal provides unity in our daily lives. Liziwe’s food is unpretentious and flavourful. She values authenticity and loves finding new ways to showcase ingredients that reflect her culinary heritage and share her passion for food that is easy to prepare and appeals to the whole family.

You’ll find recipes for all times of the day and every season. Start with savoury mince, indulge in amagwinya with your morning coffee, choose a salad or soup for lunch, snack on hot-and-crispy chicken wings while watching the game, or savour an oxtail stew on a winter’s night.

For bakers, there are biscuits, breads and cakes, while desserts include favourites like cheese cake and pancakes. Fancy an Asian feast? We’ve got you covered. And if you crave a taste of home, there’s isijingi, umnqusho, umleqwa, dikwata or a traditional ‘seven colours’.

Chapters are divided into:

• Kickstart your day
• Salads and soups
• Main meals
• Rice and rice-based dishes
• Asian-inspired dishes
• Heritage dishes
• Bakes and breads
• Desserts

Recipes that caught my eye:

• Chakalaka (p32)
• Leek and potato soup (p41)
• Slow-roasted lamb shanks (p60)
• Spicy lemon rice (p74)
• Thai red curry noodles with prawns (p82)
• Umleqwa (chicken) (p97)
• Gemere (ginger beer) (p111)
• Orange and cranberry shortbread biscuits (p114)
• Dipotch (scones) (p117)
• Individual apple tarts (p119)
• Individual steamed breads (p132)
• Garlic and herb naan (p137)
• Traditional pancakes with orange syrup (p147)
• Berry cake dessert (p151)

What I made:

I made the leek and potato soup on a rainy summer day and it was really good. In fact, it was so good that I served it cold as a starter when we had friends over for dinner. The shortbread biscuits were amazing and I loved the flavour combination. I would make these again in a heartbeat. Sadly, the dipotch recipe was a failure and I would not try these again.

My impressions:

The recipes that had photographs had stunning pictures. But, not all the recipes have photographs which for some cooks is off putting as they don’t know what the end result should be. There is a very limited choice of recipes for advanced cooks in this book.

Publishing information:

Disclosure: I was sent the book to review by Penguin Random House South Africa. I was not required to write a positive review. This post is in line with my blogging policy.

Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime March 9:

• • 2020: Aubergine And Chickpea Ragout
  • 2018: Hibiscus Mousse
  • 2016: Gregory Czarnecki Answers Questions For The Blog
  • 2015: Chrain
  • 2013: Food Quiz Number 79 For A Friday
  • 2012: Cold Cucumber And Avocado Soup
  • 2011: Anise Hyssop

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