Ask a Top Chef: Thembi Khumalo

Chef Khumalo shows Refilwe Boikanyo how to cook tripe

For authentic Southern African cuisine I go to Gramadoelas, a restaurant which has been tantalising the palettes and winning the hearts of heads of states, royalty and award-winning actors since the 1960s. It was also honoured at this year's American Express Platinum Fine Dining Awards.

At the restaurant, chef Thembi Khumalo makes her speciality, tripe.

Wash and clean 2kg of black tripe in running water. Then place it in five litres of water and clean it more thoroughly by peeling and tearing off its fat and fatty membrane.

Once clean, put it in a big pot filled with water that's ¾ the volume of the pot. Add four tablespoons of salt and let it boil at a medium heat for four to five hours. Keep replenishing the water if it boils away.

Remove the pot from heat, strain the water and scoop out the tripe. Cut the tripe into narrow bits and put it back in the pot.

Season it with ¼ tablespoon of chilli masala, two tablespoons of coarse salt, and then add three litres of water. To thicken your tripe's broth and to give it more flavour, add finely cut vegetables.

Peel four carrots and six potatoes then finely grate them and add to the pot. Take one bunch of celery, three onions, two red peppers, two green peppers and two yellow peppers and finely chop them and add them to the pot. Never add tomatoes - their bitterness will overpower all the other flavours.

Set the stove on low heat and let the food boil for four hours. Your food is ready once the tripe is soft and your broth has thickened. Serve with pap or samp. This meal serves 12-20 people.

• Gramadoelas is on Bree Street in Newtown, Johannesburg. Call 082-880-5555. The Avocado recipe will be back tomorrow