Waterblommetjies!

In 1979 a young Afrikaans singer called Sonja Heroldt, released a song called 'Waterblommetjies', written by Anton Goosen. The first two lines of the song  go 'Waterblommetjies in die Boland, Waterblommetjies in die kaap', which roughly translated means, 'Little water flowers in the land above the coastal plain, Little water flowers in the Cape' which doesn't have the same ring somehow! However, the song was an instant hit, it is hauntingly beautiful and it is a song that is still played today. It has been recorded by many Afrikaans singers and it takes me right back to when my children were small!  (Find  it on You-tube and listen to it.)

The Waterblommetjie flower

The song then goes on to sing the praises of a particular bredie or stew that is made from the flowers of the Waterblommetjie or Cape pond weed! The plant is endemic to our part of the world and is widely used to add to the flavour and bulk of the dish. They flower in winter and spring and grow in ponds that traditionally dry up in summer. The bulb then dies down and remains dormant until the winter rains arrive and then they grow again!

Ready for harvesting. (Thanks to Google)

You can buy packets of the flowers along the side of the road and some supermarkets also stock them. The flowers are white and fragrant and are the part of the plant that is eaten. Together with a wild flower called 'sorrel' which has a lemon juice tartness, they are important ingredients of the bredie that uses mutton or lamb. Usually mutton as it is a cheaper cut and with long cooking helps to make it tender. (I must try it out using my 'Wonderbag')

So, when our local nursery received their annual stock of bulbs, I was very happy to see some waterblommetjie bulbs too. They looked a bit like chunks of old leather, rock hard and brown, but I planted them in flower pots and carefully lowered the pots into our fish pond.

And waited!

The first flower in the fish pond!

Low and behold, they grew! A few leaves wound their way to the surface and when the first flower opened I was ecstatic! We certainly didn't have enough for a stew by any means, but the thought was there!

Clean and ready for the pot!

Before cooking it is important to soak the flowers in salt water. This helps to clean the grit out of the flowers, but more importantly, removes any bugs or snails that may be lurking. Then with onions, garlic, oil, carrots, tomato paste, mutton, potatoes, coriander, lamb shanks or stewing mutton, salt and pepper, lots of time and a good appetite, you have a wonderful winter's warming bredie!

After cooking slowly, yummy!

A glass of wine or two will help with the digestion.

All the cleaning done for me! I like it!

And guess what? You can buy them in tins, ready cleaned, ready to go! And the recipe is on the label!

Ready, steady, cook!