Cape Town…What comes to mind at the mention of this city?… breathtaking views, a happening nightlife, diverse nationalities, wine farms, taxi tout with missing front teeth screaming “Mowbray! Claremont! Wynberg!” LOL!
However, before coming to Cape Town, making myself a permanent resident and adopting the cape coloured accent, I knew it as a city of people with missing front teeth, table mountain and lots of fish. Up until this day, I still wonder why so many Capetonians have missing front teeth! Some say it’s from eating the fish bones, haha but we love them anyways!
I can go on and on about the fascinating stuff about the mother city but for now, I’d like to share with you one of my favourite Kaapse cuisines, the Gatsby. It’s a long bread roll usually filled with a variety of ingredients from chicken, mutton curry, Vienna, polony the list goes on. The Gatsby originated from the Cape Malay.
As a student my friends and I used to club and buy a Gatsby and a cool drink…..that’s how I got hooked up. My personal favourites are the Masala Steak and the Mutton curry Gatsby! I don’t know about you but for me, the two is “baie lekker” (very delicious). Ok, confession time…..my colleagues and I club from time to time to buy a Gatsby ….I must say clubbing for a Gatsby is cheaper than buying two pieces of chicken and chips and its very filling. Four people clubbing for one Gatsby can contribute up to R15.00 each depending on the type….I’m sure by now you get my drift.
I won’t deny the fact that you’ll only get the best here in the Cape but you can always try and make your own at home. The nice thing about the Gatsby is the fact that there are no rules as to what goes into it. You can add anything you like. I decided to make my own version using chicken cooked in Castle Milk Stout beer which I got from my fbi2011 goodie bag :-).
Lekker Gatsby Recipe
For the chicken:
15ml (1Tbsp) olive oil
1 onion, chopped
±400g chicken thigh fillets, diced (medium sized dices)
200ml castle milk stout beer
30ml (2Tbsp) chutney
5ml (1tsp) pesto princess red pesto
1ml salt
2.5ml (½tsp) medium curry powder
6 button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- Heat a saucepan and add olive oil.
- Sauté the onion until translucent.
- Add the chicken, beer and the rest of the ingredients.
- Simmer for ±20 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add more beer if necessary.
For the Gatsby:
Serves: 2-3
1 French roll cut lengthwise
Potato chips (from two potatoes)
Castle Milk Stout chicken
3-4 lettuce leaves, shredded
Assembling the Gatsby: Layer the chips, chicken and lettuce inside the roll. Divide into two or three pieces. Geniet / Enjoy! Down with a cool drink of your choice
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Love this recipe! We make our own gatsby’s as well. My dad hates buying take aways. He makes one with steak, salad and homemade crispy chips.
I will sure try the milk stout chicken. We always braai chicken on a small gas stove and pour coke on it while its cooking. We call it Coke Hoender/Chicken
Hi Gaynor! Do try the milk stout chicken its quite nice i didn’t expect it to be that yummy because of the bitterness. I’m sure you’ll love it! The coke chicken sounds interesting – I’d love to try it!:-) I appreciate your comments doll!
Hi there, in Port Elizabeth they call it “katkop” but it is only chips and polony. i live in Jozi now and learned my husband to eat it aswell and he loves it.
aaaah, I’ve always wanted to try making one! Will definitely have to give it a go 🙂 I love cooking beef in stout but have ever tried chicken. Never got a chance to do ANYTHING with my Castle milk stout from the FBI goodie bag as hubby drank it like the next day hahaha!
Hehehe! I also used the Pesto Princess Red pesto, it gives the dish a more rounded flavour! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I like the recipes bt I nd the 1 4 the masala steak gatsby please
Hi Maria, I also love me some Masala Steak Gatsby, it’s my favourite and the mother of all gatsbys. I’ll get the recipe and share.