Easy Namibian Vetkoek with Mince Recipe
Fluffy on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside – these Namibian vetkoek (fat cakes) are filled with a rich, savory minced meat sauce and cheddar cheese. A nostalgic street food classic from Southern Africa made with a simple yeast dough and easy-to-follow steps. Perfect for any time of day and sure to impress the whole family!
Servings: 5 Servings
Ingredients
For the fat cake yeast dough
- 250 g (0.55 lbs/ 2 cups) plain flour (all purpose flour) plus extra for dusting
- ½ tablespoon dry yeast
- 170 ml (5.7 fl.oz/ about ¾ cup) lukewarm water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- a pinch of nutmeg OPTIONAL
For the mince for fat cakes
- 250 g (about ½ lbs) ground beef/ lamb
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium bell pepper
- chili flakes and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 100 ml (3.4 fl.oz/ about ½ cup) water hot
You'll also need
- 5 slices cheddar cheese or any
- 1 liter (34 fl.oz) sunflower oil for greasing and frying the fat cakes
Instructions
Make Vetkoek Dough
- Add 2 tablespoons flour (from 250 g (0.55 lbs/ 2 cups), yeast and sugar to lukewarm water. Using a spoon stir well and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl add the remaining flour, nutmeg, and salt and combine well. After 10 minutes pour the yeast mixture to the flour - salt mixture. Using a wooden spoon or your hands combine well, until you have a smooth dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured working surface. Lightly dust the dough with flour as well. Then grease your hands with oil and knead for about 5 minutes.*The fat cake dough is sticky, in comparison to doughnut or pizza dough, but please don’t add extra flour. That’s exactly how it should be.
- Put the dough in the greased bowl. Pour few drops of oil on the dough, so that the dough will not dry out. Using your hands, apply the oil evenly and cover with a kitchen cloth. Let the dough rise for about 60 minutes at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size. In the meantime, make the minced meat sauce.
Make Vetkoek Mince
- Peel and mince garlic and onion and dice bell peppers. In a large pan, heat about 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or whatever you prefer) over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and let cook until brown. Add tomato paste, followed by thyme, paprika, sugar, salt, ground black pepper and chili flakes and mix well.
- Stir in water and bring to a boil. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is nicely thick. Keep stirring and adding a little bit of water in between if necessary. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Cook And Fill Vetkoek
- After 1 hour, place the dough on a lightly oiled work surface. Grease your hands with a bit of oil and roughly divide the dough into 5 equal pieces.
- Gently shape each piece into a dough ball. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for another 20 minutes.
- About 10 minutes before the second rise is done, pour oil into a large skillet or pan and heat it over medium heat.
- To check if the oil is ready, insert the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. If bubbles form around it, the oil is hot enough. Carefully drop in the dough balls and fry for about 10 minutes, turn halfway.
- Put the fat cakes on a cooling rack/ cutting board lined with paper towels to remove the excess fat.
- Once you’re able to touch the fat cakes with your hands, cut them with a sharp serrated knife. Don’t cut all the way through. From bottom fill with cheese followed by mince sauce. Spear with a toothpick to hold the fat cakes together if you want and enjoy!