The Malaysian “Ramly” Burger

This is popular Malaysian burger was started by Ramly Mokninand, a small family owned company based in Kuala Lumpur in 1979. Their Ramly road stalls soon became famous for their “Ramly specials”, although the ingredients varies from location to location.

Unfortunately I’ve missed the opportunity to eat one of these authentic Ramly burgers when I went to Kuala Lumpur, and so I decided to make my own version. Tracking down an original recipe was next to impossible since the Ramly burger is famous for being highly customisable. I’ve combined a couple of different recipes I found on the internet, and my version was delicious!

The Ramly Burger is distinctive from most other hamburgers due to the unique way in which the ingredients are served. Rather than the usual method of stacking the ingredients within the bun, the patty in the Ramly Burger is first covered with the desired condiments, then wrapped in a thin layer of egg. The end result is packet-like and enhances the texture of the burger while simultaneously reducing mess from the condiments. The Ramly Burger served in this way is known as Ramly Burger Special.

You need the following for six burgers:

• 500g lean beef mince
  

  The ingredients

• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
• 1 chopped chilli
• soy sauce
• salt and pepper
• 6 eggs
• Vegetable oil
• 6 burger buns
• Butter
  

  Fresh patties!

• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Cheese
• Lettuce
• Mayonnaise
• Chilli Sauce
• Milk

Mix the mince, diced onion, chilli and garlic together with a good dollop of soy sauce (2 tablespoons). Shape the mince into 6 thin patties compressing the meat slightly. Set aside

Heat up a knob of butter in a frying pan. Cut the buns open and fry the inside of the buns in the ban until it is golden brown and set aside.

Heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil and fry the patties on high heat until it is done.  (I prefer mine medium rare.)

Ready to wrap

Beat an egg with a small dash of milk in a bowl.
Fry the omelette in the pan until it is done.
Place the patty in the middle of the omelette, garnish with a good helping of mayonnaise and chilli sauce.
Wrap the burger patty with the omelette to make a package.

Stack your burger with the egg patty, cheese, lettuce and tomato. (You can add extra chilli or caramelised onion to taste).

Enjoy!

De-licious (and messy)!

Who makes S.A.’s best box wine? The Box Wine Awards 2011

On the 24th of November, the good folks from Spit or Swallow hosted the annual Box Wine Awards on the rooftop of the Penthouse on Long in Cape Town. The Magnum PI dress code meant that we all arrived with our most colourful Hawaiian shirts and impressive moustaches (in aid of Movember) to conduct an in-depth investigation on who makes S.A.’s best box wine…

The Lovely Anel Grobler from Spit or Swallow

The task seemed simple enough: Taste 39 boxes of wine and scoring each wine out of 10. However this task soon became a challenge as palate fatigue started to set in half way through the tasting. Some of the wines were truly shocking, some interesting (referring to the “baba doek” comment made by Batonage), while others were not bad at all.

Thanks to Jan from WineTimes and 406, the scoring was made easy. A nifty program was written where wine tasters could score the wines from their cellphones via Twitter. These scores were then automatically calculated and the results revealed at the end of the evening.
(e.g @boxwineawards box1=7 box2=3 etc.)

The Wood Stock, suppliers of beautiful cutting boards were there as well, keeping us going with a steady supply of delicious snacks.

So according to The Box Wine Awards; who makes the best white and the best red box wine in South Africa?

The Winners:
Best White Box Wine - Robertson Winery Sauvignon Blanc
and
Best Red Box Wine - Drostdy-Hof Merlot 2010

Click here for full results on WineTimes website.

Well done to the winners and thank you Spit or Swallow for the great evening!

Cheers!

Juan Locke: Sales and Marketing Manager Winetimes.co.za

Roping in SA’s Rieslings

A couple of days ago I was planning to make some potstickers for dinner and needed a good wine to pair with the dish. Posting the question on Twitter, I was soon overwhelmed with recommendations of different South African Riesling producers. Riesling…. this grape varietal I have been avoiding for most of my wine drinking life. Grabbing a Hartenberg 2010 Riesling from the local Tops and was quite surprised on how good it was! More scientific research was needed!
So a couple of mates and I pooled together and sourced 6 of SA’s high rated Rieslings from Darling, Stellenbosch, Robertson and Elgin wine producers. The tasting was held at the Jenna Viva restaurant in Somerset West.

In the past, Rieslings confused me. Labels read, Cape Riesling, Weisser Riesling, Paarl Riesling or Rhine Riesling. Cape or Paarl Rieslings are in actual fact NOT Rieslings at all, but a rare French grape varietal, called Crouchen Blanc whereas the Rhine or Weisser Rieslings were the TRUE Rieslings which originated from Germany.

Today the labelling regulations have changed and true Rieslings are only labelled under the name Riesling.

Riesling is a diverse grape type and a wine maker can make dry, semi-sweet or even sparkling wines from it.

The character of Riesling includes a perfumed, floral notes with a negotiable higher acidity. It is also very terroir expressive, showing a lot of character from where the vineyard is situated. One of the most interesting notes that came up from the tasting is how well Rieslings can age. The wine’s high acidity keeps the wine fruity fresh as the secondary character comes forth.

On another note Riesling can also possess a petroleum or diesel like character. Might this in fact give the wine more character or perceived a negative quality is left to the wine drinkers own judgement.

Of the five Rieslings and one NLH Riesling that we have tasted the two highest scoring wines of the evening were the Rietvallei Rhine Riesling 2008 as the best value Riesling with the best fruit and acid balance as well as the Jordan Real McCoy 2010 as the most solid representation of South African Riesling.

The Rietvallei is available at a steal from Mooiberge Farm Stall at R35.00 a bottle and the Jordan Real McCoy at R74.00 a bottle from the farm.

Cheers!

Stark-Condé Wines

Summer is around the corner and that means visiting winefarms becomes a fun outdoor event!

A short drive up the Jonkershoek Valley in Stellenbosch led me to the Oude Nectar Farm, home of Stark-Condé Wines. Here I had the pleasure of experiencing a delightfully wine tasting at their “floating” tasting room, which is situated on a dam with breathtaking views of the Jonkershoek mountains.

We all know a view alone does not make a wine and Stark-Condé produces three ranges of wines all of exceptional quality that will fit most wine drinkers budgets.

The Pepin Condé range of wines are all wonderfully fresh and fruity and a bona fide steal at under a R100.00 a bottle! The range includes a Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and a Cabernet Sauvginon.

The Stark-Condé range – Unfiltered and unfined, the Cabernet and Syrah are both juicy and full-bodied. The Syrah in particular was savoury with a smoky bacon like character. R125.00 per bottle each.

The Three Pines range also consists of an unfiltered and unfined Syrah and Cabernet, but these wines are made from the best blocks of vines situated high up on the farm with mostly granite and clay based soils. The wines are rich with concentrated fruit flavours. Both the Cabernet and the Syrah are sold at R240.00 per bottle. Great value for exceptional wines tasted in a stunning part of Stellenbosch.

I would recommend visiting the farm to enjoy their wines.  I will definitely be back next time to for lunch at the Postcard Café and a glass of Stark-Condé Wines!

Whisky Tasting at The Bergkelder

Since I have done the Brandy Tasting at Van Ryn’s, I wanted to explore more of South Africa’s spirit industry; so when I saw the advert on WineTimes that The Bergkelder will be conducting a whisky tasting, I wasted no time to book my place.

The whiskies that we tasted (Bain’s Mountain whisky and the Three Ships range) where produced at the James Sedgwick Distillery which, just like Bergkelder, is part of the Distell Group.

R60.00 got me in and on arrival we received a friendly greeting from Bergkelder’s Brand Manager, Colin Bridger as well as a delightful whisky cocktail.

Time to sit down to the good stuff…

Andy Watts, master distiller, conducted the whisky tasting.
In 1991 he became the manager and master distiller at the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington, only the 6th manager since the distillery was established in 1886!

He gave us a brief introduction on how their whiskies are produced. (Follow the link for a video.)

Some South African whisky facts:

• South Africa is the 5th largest consumer of Scotch whisky in the world.
• Until the mid 1980′s 95% of all Scotch grain whiskies were made from South African maize.
• The first whisky in South Africa was produced in Pretoria in 1893 by Alois Hugo Nellmapius.
• During the Anglo Boer War, whisky production was stopped in 1899.
• The next commercial whisky was only produced in Paarl 53 years later in 1952 called Tops.
• The James Sedgwick Distillery is named after James Sedgwick an English captain that arrived at the Cape in 1850.

The Tasting:

1) Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky
It is proudly South Africa’s first single grain whisky; released in 2009 it is a little bit sweeter than the other whiskies.
Matured for a minimum of 5 years; it was stored in 1st fill Bourbon casks for 3 years, removed and then oaked again for another 2 years in 1st fill Bourbon casks. This allows the spirit to obtain a vanilla and spicy character.
Gold medal winner at the 2010 International Wine and Spirits Competition.

2) Three Ships Select 

Smooth and spicy

Launched in 1977, Three Ships select is a blend between South African and Scottish grain and malt whiskies and is the 7th largest whisky in South Africa per volume.

3) Three Ships 5 Year Old Premium Select
Launched in 1991, this whisky is much more robust and peaty than the rest. Just like the Three Ships Select, this whisky is also blended from South African and Scotch malt and grain whiskies. The taste Walks a similar path to a certain “Black Label” only at a fraction of the cost.

4) Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish
Released in 2005, it is the first 100% South African blended whisky.
The malt and the grain is produced and distilled in South Africa. Matured for 3 years, the whisky is allowed to “marry” for a further 6 months in Bourbon casks, which will allow a slight sweet and vanilla character to develop in the whisky.

5) Three Ships 10 Year Old Single Malt Whisky

The first South African Single Malt whisky that was produced was released in 2003. Very limited and very prestigious, it won gold at the Concours Mondial Awards as well as the International Wine and Spirits competition. (Sadly this whisky is sold out.)

After the tasting we were treated to some delicious soup, breads and pates.

I am proud to say that South Africa doesn’t just produce excellent wines, but also world-class spirits.

Cheers!

Be sure to give The Bergkelder a call for more information about their monthly tastings.

Tel: 021 809 8465

www.bergkelder.co.za

Bacon Wrapped Eggs

There is a new way to make bacon and eggs! A few days ago I stumbled upon this video on YouTube and was so impressed with the idea that I had to make my own.
It is a very easy recipe and very versatile. Next time I’ll play around with different toppings.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of streaky bacon
• Eggs (depending how many portions you want to make)
• Cheese (I used normal grated cheddar)
• Chives, diced and or other herbs.
• Salt and pepper

Method:

Egg in the Bacon

In a frying pan, fry the bacon until it is cooked but not crispy

Spray a muffin tray with non-stick spray

Line the inside of the muffin tin with bacon and place smaller pieces at the bottom

Crack in one egg in each of the bacon cups

Season with salt and pepper

Top with finely grated cheddar

Add chopped chives and herbs

Bake at 200ºC for 10 minutes to ensure that the egg is still soft and runny but cooked through. Longer if you want the egg to be harder

Remove the tray and carefully loosen the edges of the bacon with a knife

Lift out the bacon/egg and plate

Breakfast just got served!

Reference: Recipe Cards - YouTube

Brandy Tasting at Van Ryn’s Distillery

Van Ryn's Brandy

I took part in a tasting of a different kind: Brandy!
Brandy or Brandwyn / Brandewijn refer to “burnt wine” and is a spirit produced from the distillation of wine.

To learn more of this wonderful spirit I travelled to the Van Ryn’s Distillery situated on the R310 close to Stellenbosch.

The Van Ryn’s Brandy Distillery was built in 1905 from rocks collected on the banks of the Eerste River and some of these original walls can still be seen today.
The beautiful courtyard led me to the main building and immediately the air or sophistication befell me with exquisite antiques and ethereal atmosphere and fitting chamber music playing softly in the background.

I took part in the tour of the distillery and I was led through the process of brandy production.

Wine Making

Van Ryn Brandies are produced from selected Chenin Blanc and Colombar grapes sourced from the Western Cape. These grapes are picked slightly earlier as to contain a higher fruit acid and a lower sugar level to ensure that the brandy will still contain vibrant fruit flavours and aromatics.

The grapes are de-stemmed and crushed and a light wine is produced without any added sulfur.

The Distillation

Van Ryn's Copper Distillation Tanks

South African Brandies are of very hight quality; it is made in almost the exact same way as in Cognac.

The light wine is then distilled in copper pots. Water and alcohol have different temperatures at which they vapourise. At approximately 78°C the alcohol and aromatics will vapourise, it is then trapped and allowed to condensate.

After the first 15 – 20 minutes of boiling the first of the distillate will be captured. This is called the head and has a bitter and unpleasant taste.

After 4 – 6 hours the heart of the distillate is captured which has the best character and is also considered the soul of the brandy.

After 6 hours the last of the distillate will be captured. The tails is of a lower quality than the heart and is combined with the heads that can be mixed with the second batch of low wine that will be distilled.

The brandy made from the 1st distillation is called the low wine and contains an alcohol percentage of 30% per volume.

The low wine then undergoes a second fermentation that will then yield a brandy of approximately 70% alcohol per volume and contains a more concentrated flavour.

The Barrels

The brandy is then allowed to matured in small French oak barrels.
We were treated with a display from an experienced cooper who showed us the tools of their trade. A demonstration included on how they would strip a layer of wood, shaped and then constructed into an open barrel. The barrels will be then toasted over a flame that will allow the brandy to extract the toast and tobacco flavours from the wood before it is sealed by the unique rhythmic tapping of the cooper’s hammer.

The Cellaring

As we entered the maturation cellar a wonderful aroma of ripe fruit and nuts filled the air and was explained as the “Angels Share” which is the evaporation of the brandy through wood.

Please no flash photography, we don’t want to cause an explosion in our maturation cellar.

We were not allowed to take any photos due to the high alcohol fumes in the air. It could even be the fact that flashes of light might stir the brandy from their slumber. Everything plays a role in the maturation cellar, from the location of the barrel, the temperature even the humidity.

By law, brandy must be a minimum of 3 years old before it can be classified as a brandy. The youngest brandy at Van Ryn’s Distillery, is 5 years old but they also produce a 10, 12, 15 and 20 year old brandy.
During the maturation period the brandies are blended by a master blender to ensure that Van Ryn’s Brandies are of highest quality.

The Taste

After the tour I tasted the 10 Year Old Vintage Brandy as well as the 12 Year Old Distillers Reserve Brandy. The amber gold liquid had wonderful aromas and reminded of pears and almonds. The taste was warm and smooth with a dried fruit taste and lingering tobacco aftertaste. The 12 Year Old Distillers Reserve being the smoother and more complex of the two that I have tasted.

I propose a toast to the masters that are Van Ryn’s for blessing us with such a high quality South African Brandy that has won numerous accolades around the world for this wonderful elixir that is produced right outside our doorstep in Stellenbosch!

Cheers!

Van Ryn’s:

Tel: +27 (0) 21 881 3875

Email: vanryninfo@distell.co.za

Website: www.vanryn.co.za