For thousands of years Jewish people have been gathering around the table on Friday nights to celebrate a humble but ancient ritual, the sabbath meal. The lighting of candles, the singing of simple blessings and the breaking of bread have been the unifying thread that has connected Jewish life across centuries and continents. In this multi-dinner series, Alissa Kondogiannis explores Shabbat dinners as they have evolved in Jewish communities around the world, e.g. Ashkenazi in Eastern Europe, Sephardi in Spain and North Africa, Mizrahi in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Alissa grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa with a Canadian mother and a South African father. Her father’s mother owned and ran one of the leading catering companies in the Jewish community and Alissa remembers lavish Shabbat and holiday meals that always had the flavours of South African Jewry at its core: a mix of traditional Lithuanian and the spices and tastes of the Portuguese and Malaysians that settled in early South Africa.
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Homemade Challah
Alissa’s speciality, and frankly, worth the price of admission.

Curried Fish Balls aka ‘Pickled Fish’ 
Although it may sound somewhat exotic, this is actually a very traditional Shabbat dish in South Africa where Malaysian and Indian curries have long been an integral part of the local cuisine. Minced white fish in a mild and sweet curried sauce.

Green Salad with Avocados and Shaved Biltong
North American’s love their bacon like South Africans love their Biltong, a local style of air-dried, cured meat—think beef jerky. Though not usual as a salad topper, it adds a savoury, umami-packed punch to just about anything; e.g. growing up, biltong-flavoured cheese spread was very popular.

Peri Peri Braai
Braai is a core South African culinary idea; it’s about grilling meat over a fire, and applies to the process, the dishes themselves, and the social gathering where this food shared. No one says NO to a good braai. Peri Peri comes from the Portuguese settlers that brought chilli peppers to South Africa, which have since become the quintessential flavour of South African BBQ chicken recipes, and the inspiration behind the South African fast food chain Nando’s. Tonight it lends its signature tangy heat to tender, juicy grilled chicken (or tofu & veg) served with chutney and a selection of fresh sambals (garnishes) like tomato, onion, banana, papaya, coconut that add a customizable pop of colour, texture and sweetness.

Served with yellow rice with currants, and roasted butternut squash

Malva Pudding with Granadilla
Malva pudding is not a ‘pudding’ at all, but rather a uniquely South African cake made with apricot jam, which lends it a spongy caramelized texture. Served warm with a granadilla-infused sauce (a cousin of passionfruit whose exotic, tropical fragrance is very S.A.) and rich, creamy custard (non-dairy/pareve).
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Check out Alissa’s amazing Latkes recipe as featured in the award-winning The Depanneur Cookbook

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Every weekend The Depanneur invites an amateur or professional guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party. @thedepanneur