No matter where on the globe you are celebrating, everyone always looks forward to that one dish you only eat on Christmas day. From Malva puddings to tamales and even a bucket of KFC, find out which dishes make their annual appearance in these countries. 

South Africa: Malva pudding 

Like creamy milk tart and heavenly hertzoggies, we can’t imagine any feast without a sweet and creamy bite of malva pudding. This decadent dessert consists of a sponge cake containing apricot jam and deliciously drizzled with a butter-cream sauce (yum), is often enjoyed on special occasions like Christmas and birthdays. Indulge with vanilla ice cream to cut through the sweet caramel flavour.  

Put a spin on the classic malva when you try this tasty chocolate and orange malva pudding recipe. 

Japan: Kentucky Fried Chicken 

Did you know that Japan’s KFC’s busiest time of the year is during Christmas? The tradition of feasting on a barrel of fried chicken for Christmas lunch began after KFC created the (very) successful advertising campaign called “Kentucky for Christmas.” It’s so popular that you must order your barrel weeks in advance. 

Why not make your own? Impress your friends with this fried chicken with a unique South African twist.  

Australia and New Zealand: Pavlova 

On Christmas day, you’ll find white meringue cakes sprinkled with fruit and topped with cream at the centre of many Aussie and ‘kiwi’ tables. The classic Pavlova is the perfect balance of sweet, tart and refreshing, making it the perfect sweet dish for summer. And as Christmas happens during the scorching hot days ‘down under’, you’ll find many gleefully devouring this soft and airy dessert. 

@bylaurenmcdermott Yet to meet anyone that can resist a second helping of this! Preheat Oven to 150°c Separate 4 egg whites and whisk them until stiff (use the yolks for mayo, carbonara etc) Add 250g Sugar, one spoon at a time and continue whisking until smooth and glossy. Then add teaspoon each of cornflower, White Wine Vinegar and Vanilla Extract and whisk once more. Dollop onto parchment paper (mark the sizes if you’re making two) Bake for 45 mins in the preheated oven. Don’t open the door, and leave to cool for at least an hour in the oven. Top with whipped cream and fruit. You can sweeten these if you like but I don’t think it’s necessary. #StawberryPavlova #Pavlova #pavlovarecipe #summerpudding #summerrecipe #stawberries #strawberryrecipe #summerdesert #desert #desertrecipe #dinnerpartyideas #eattheseasons #meringue #easyrecipe #easyrecipeideas #easydesert #strawberryrecipe ♬ Belonging – Muted

Mexico: Tamales 

Gifts aren’t the only things Mexicans unwrap on Christmas day. Tamales is a traditional dish in Mexico, dating back several centuries. Tamales are made from masa, which is a dough made from corn. The dough is then filled with meat and vegetables, then wrapped in a banana leaf or a corn husk and steamed. The wrapping is an integral part of the preparation process. The steaming process makes the masa firm, so when you unwrap the leaves, your tamale is ready to eat. Yum!  

@donjuanchilesco Use these simple tips to make better tamales this year ! Tip 1: Spice up your masa by adding Chiles ! We got your back on that ! Tip 2: Try the Masa float test Ensure you have the perfect masa by dropping a small amount in water . If it floats your masa is ready Tip 3: place a coin in the pot so you can tell if the water has evaporated (you’ll know you need to add more water when the jiggling noise from the coin stops). Tip 4: tie the ends of your tamales who doesn’t love unwrapping delicious tamales ! #tamales #tamalesmexicanos #tamalehacks #tamaleseason #tamales #masa #cornhusk #chiles #mexicanspices #mexicanrecipes #foodhacks #tamalehacks #foodporn #coloradosprings ♬ hotel r a s p u t i n service – veggibeats

England: Traditional trifle 

English (and South African) Christmas lunch tables wouldn’t be complete before this quintessential British dessert makes its annual appearance. Originating in the 18th century, trifle was created to make use of stale cake. The cake was soaked in alcohol and stacked with fruit and custard in a round bowl. Today, it’s still enjoyed as a popular dessert and a yummy, sweet dish many look forward to each year! 

 

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Impress your loved ones with sweet, sensational twists of this traditional English dessert.  

Photography: Zhann Solomons

The post 5 Christmas dishes from around the globe appeared first on MyKitchen.

MasterChef Australia finalist Ben Ungermann has found his (culinary) home away from home in SA.  

Soy lecithin’, ‘Agar-agar’ and ‘Calcium Alginate’ were the kinds of cooking terms that were totally foreign to Ben Ungermann, a self-professed home cook, when he entered MasterChef Australia in May 2017. 

When he stepped onto set, he had to make do and make magic with them. And he did. In front of a global audience of millions, he was soon hailed as the ‘ice cream king’ and his charm, passion and drive made rooting for him to win Season 9 a no-brainer.  

Viewers were intrigued: the young Australian, proud of his Indonesian and Dutch heritage, represented so many and resonated with millions. Now, that’s the story he serves. “My love for food definitely came from my ouma (grandmother),” Ben shares.  

Also read: Catch up with MasterChef SA finalist, Sims Kubeka

She was not only his foodie icon, but his inspiration to do more and become so much more using food to tell his story. But life at home was not easy. His immigrant parents both worked full-time to give their three children the best possible life.  

Then, his parents – “who are great cooks now” – viewed food as a way to survive and not necessarily as the creative outlet Ben now knows it to be. “They, of course, tried to be as creative as possible using the staple ingredients we could afford at the time. My dad was the one who spent most of the time preparing meals for us,” he shares.  

But it was not until Ben moved in with his ouma and oupa (grandfather) as a young boy that his culinary journey really kicked off. Ben’s ouma, like most of our own grandmothers, cooked from the heart. Her cooking fed his curiosity: he’d quiz her on secret ingredients and methods to figure out the meal he had just devoured.  

Up until that stage, his only interest had been eating food – and not preparing it. He adored ollie bollen – a classic Dutch family favourite. This deep-fried (sometimes filled) Dutch doughnut would take all day to prepare. The men were tasked with mixing the dough with a large wooden spoon for ages until it was smooth – this bored many of them, but not young Ben.  

“I studied every single night, read every book I could find, taking inspiration from the greats to make myself a force to be reckoned with on the show”  

Preparing this iconic Dutch treat made his fascination with food grow even stronger. In 2017, 30-year-old Ben felt ready to leave his home kitchen and cook in front of the world – under immense pressure. “Nothing can prepare you for entering a cooking competition like MasterChef Australia,” says Ben. It is not only physically challenging, but it takes a toll on you mentally and emotionally, too, he explains.   

“What they don’t tell you is that you’ll be completely cut off from the outside world and fully immersed in the MasterChef competition,” he says. Getting to the finale meant that Ben was away from family and friends for eight months during the show’s filming.  

You’re not allowed to have a cell phone, access the internet or go on social media for those long months. This is to prevent any outside help or influence that might affect your recalls. “It was a transformation and learning opportunity that brought me to where I am today.”  

As hard as it was, it wasn’t lost on him that he had an opportunity of a lifetime before him: to compete in and learn from creative challenges, compete against top-tier chefs and receive feedback from the world- class judges.  

“I became a sponge,” he says. “I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could to become the best.” Ben returned to MasterChef Australia in 2020 during season 12 to compete in the Back To Win special.   

However, he did not complete the season after he was charged with sexual assault, which was replaced with one charge of common law assault with the consent of the plaintiff and the prosecutors. Ben will share his story in a documentary due for release in 2023.  

Fast forward a few years and Ben has found a new home in South Africa. “I’ve always believed that there’s power in the art of sharing a meal. It brings about a type of connection and sense of love. And South Africans know exactly how to do that,” he says.  

Regardless of class, race or age, food almost always manages to bring us together and is a language we all understand, he observes. And he’s wasted no time getting acquainted with local culinary classics. Pickled fish is one of his all-time favourite South African specialties.  

“If someone had told me years ago that eating pickled fish on a warm hot cross bun would excite me, I’d probably have laughed at them,” he chuckles. Now, Ben can’t image Easter weekend without the beloved duo.  

But you can’t call yourself a true fan of South Africa unless you’ve had your fingers, lips and sometimes your clothing stained by the iconic bunny chow or masala steak gatsby: Ben raves about these dishes and believes there’s nothing else like them in the world.  

Ben’s always longing for a taste of home, though. “I feel that both Dutch and Indonesian cuisines are very underrated in the food scene,” he says. So, he decided to put them both on the map. He pioneered the opening of HONG (House of Nasi Goreng), which serves eight kinds of Indonesian fried rice, at Cape Town’s vibrant Mojo Market in Sea Point.  

But, of course, he couldn’t forget his other love: ice cream. Ungermann Ice Cream, also at Mojo Market, serves up fabulous flavours such as biltong salted caramel with pecan nut. But he’s not done just yet.  

There’s talk of a new restaurant in the pipeline, but his lips are tightly sealed at this stage… “All in good time,” he chuckles. Ben has faced his fair share of trials and tribulations but still encourages young chefs and foodies to “dream big and guard that dream. Surround yourself with like-minded people who will support you. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support from those who help me stay true to me, my passion and my dream.” 

In the hot seat  

What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to food? 
To be honest, it would be as simple as a ton (no jokes) of shucked fresh oysters on ice, with a bit of lemon, pickled or fresh onions and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to send me straight to foodie bliss.  

Since fitness became a big part of your life, what would you call a typical cheat day? 
I actually don’t believe in cheat days. If I know I’m going to indulge, I make sure to work out a little bit extra the next day. It’s all about moderation.  

Your favourite SA snack. 
Biltong! Beef jerkey just doesn’t cut it.  

Words by: Chad January
Photographs: Supplied  

Also read: MasterChef winner Roxi Wardman’s decadent chocolate brownies

The post Masterchef Australia Finalist Ben Ungermann calls SA home appeared first on MyKitchen.