Melkkos is a South African Heritage dish that brings back fond childhood memories of families gathering around the kitchen table eating bowls of this deliciousness with sugar and cinnamon.
Melkkos has so many recipes and I don’t think it is a regional thing, I think every family has its own unique way of making melkkos. My mom makes her melkkos with “frummels” or crumbly dough and as a child we ate our way through many bowls to see who can find the biggest lump. So….. no, melkkos is not for those who suffer from tactile issues!
About 3 weeks ago, I read an article about Simon Rademan the fashion designer, stylist, couturier and author of The Style Bible. He is well known for his contribution to South African style and etiquette and have dressed the who’s who of our country! You know you are dealing with a remarkable man, if his hometown is naming a street after him! Simon, however is none of that for me! Simon sat next to me in school, a small boy! I do remember him being very funny and quite quirky which was odd for someone who was teased and bullied most of the time. He always had graph paper and he always designed something on those pieces of paper. That same quirkiness greeted me when I phone the other day to invite him as a guest on RSG. We had a few good chuckles about our growing years in Ceres, but it is Simon’s memories about his parents that touched me and I am somehow sad that I did not make the time to step into his world then.
He tells of his mom making melkkos with pieces of orange and cinnamon sticks, making humming sounds while she cooks. He remembers how his mom peeled a tomato with such care that she could use the peel, roll it up and place in the middle of their melkkos like a rose to hide the fact that they were poor. They were not poor, I was! Simon has such a wealth in just his memories and he is still making memories to this day! I think we are going to share a few more bowls of melkkos exchanging stories and fond memories. Thank you Simon for sharing pieces of your heart with me today!
Simon’s mom made melkkos with “snysels” (pasta ribbons not pasta). Yip, it is a labour of love! You make the dough, roll out, roll up, cut in thin, thin strips which is then cooked in milk flavoured with stick cinnamon or orange rind. The other alternative for making melkkos, you can find here!
Melkkos
serves 6
Ingredients
500 ml flour
2 – 3 eggs (depending on the size)
3 ml salt
2 liters full cream milk
45 ml butter
orange rind or cinnamon stick, or both
Method
Place the flour, salt and eggs in a food processor and mix until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Remove from the machine, shape into a ball and cover with cling film to rest for 30 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 2mm thick. Make sure you dust with enough flour, the last thing you need is sticky dough all over the work surface. Now roll up the dough and with a sharp knife, cut into thin strips, as if you were making tagliatelle. Use your fingers and more flour to loosen the rolls of dough. Pour the milk into a pot, add the orange peel and cinnamon stick (if using) and bring to the boil. Remove the cinnamon and orange peel. Add the pasta ribbons to the milk and cook for about 12 – 15 minutes. Serve with butter, cinnamon sugar and fine gratings of orange peel!
Tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock, I will be talking to Simon about dressing the fuller figure and his fondest food memories. I am so excited!
I will also in weeks to come take you into the kitchens of other bloggers, chefs and interesting South Africans this year. So buckle up, it is going to be an awesome ride. Tune in 100-104FM or listen online here!
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