There’s an Afrikaans saying that goes: “Jy krap nie aan ‘n ander man se vuur nie”. This translates into “Don’t mess around with another man’s fire.” Place the soft cooked garlic in a bowl, add the fresh Oregano and mix into a paste. You can add a dash of butter if you prefer a richer taste. Once you have those set, mix all the ingredients and place them on some of the slices of the bread. Combine all the ingredients together. Decant into a glass container with a tightfitting lid and store in a dark cupboard. To avoid the sauce dripping off, turn it up occasionally. Then, as the fish is cooking, continue to bast it so that it can remain moist. If you so desire, you can add fresh salad and crusty bread. Enjoy your meal. Image: youtube.com, @1Life Insurance

Birthdays, graduations, engagements, and national holidays serve as perfect occasions to host a braai with your family and friends. There’s even a specific day of the year in South Africa that’s designated for braaing. It’s officially called Heritage Day, but everyone refers to it as Braai Day. On the other hand, in a “Bring ‘n Braai,” the host will only provide you with a fire and gathering place. All the other things have to be brought by the guests.If you don’t have smoked paprika use ordinary paprika and to bring in the smokiness you could use smoked salt flakes. Maldon Salt produces a good one. Keeping the pitmaster company is good manners, and so is complimenting them for their marinade and grilling technique. You should also top up their drink and help them set and clear the table.

Carefully place the steaks onto the hot braai and cook for 8 minutes on each side for medium-rare steak. You can adjust the cooking time to allow for thinner steaks or prefer your steak well done. Steak goes well with many side dishes; the great thing about steak is that it can be dressed up or down as you like. Serve with mielie pap and gravy on a relaxed Saturday evening, or dress it up with Beetroot and butternut salad and avocado for a fancy Sunday lunch with friends. Applewood: Applewood is perfect for giving your meat a sweet, aromatic flavor. However, it can be hard to come by, so look for another wood if that’s the case for you. Use a basting brush and spread the paste over the steak; allow to stand for five minutes so the garlic can soak into the meat. Lamb chops from the Karoo region are another favorite in braais. The lamb is marinated with garlic, thyme, and rosemary and then tossed on the grill until the meat gets an appetizing herb-like aroma.Finally, you should prepare your grill and firewood. Make sure you have tinder, kindling, and large logs to last you through the whole event. And needless to say, you have the essential role of starting and maintaining the fire. Heat your grill until it is very hot and before you place your steaks on the grill, ensure that they are at room temperature. Finally, you can find the popular Roosterkoek in any braai. This “grill cake” is simply the traditional bread served at braais alongside the various meat dishes. It consists of bread dough cooked over the grill until they turn golden. While it is marinating, prepare your grill. Once done, remove the steak and warm it up a little until it is at room temperature. Remove the steak from the fridge and bring it to room temperature, approximately 15 minutes before the braai.