Freshly baked rolls in the Kalahari

Well it's not a secret that we love to travel to South Africa and are especially fond of the Kalahari.

While travelling the Kalahari Transfrontier Park we always look forward to enjoy roosterkoek, small rolls baked on a braai (Afrikaans for "barbecue" or "grill").

Always a highlight while staying at the Nossob Rest Camp, where you were able to order the Roosterkoek at reception and they were then delivered to your chalet (still warm and so yummy!!!)

We always loved to eat them with Cheese and Jam.

But, why not try to bake our own roosterkoek!

So I prepared a dough around noon, to give it enough time to prove.

The hardest thing was to defend the dough against the birds and Squirrels in the camp.

In the evening we build a fire.

I think it's not too hard to wait for the right time, having such a great view and enjoying a G&T for Sundwoner (that photo was taken at Mata Mata, where we baked the roosterkoek once again).

After the flames were gone it was time to place the small rolls, that I had formed in the meantime, on the braai grid.

At first I was still a bit sceptical if we would be able to have freshly baked bread with our salad that evening, but after 15-20 Minutes I was really happy with the result.

For all those who would lke to try it as well ( you dont have to be in South Africa for that, but I am sure the atmosphere improves the taste.....) here is the recipe:

Well a kind of a recipe, as I can not even really tell you the exact quantities, we were on holiday and did not have a scale and measuring cup....
But, it's working noneteless.

I had a 1kg bag of flour and it made about 7-8 roosterkoek for 3 times. 
I used one of the big coffee mugs in the accomodation to measure the luke warm water.

I made a bread dough using 

bread flour (about 300-350g, try to devide the 1kg of flour into three equal parts) 
instant yeast (one sachet)
salt (1 teaspoon)
oil (1 tablespoon)
sugar (1 teaspoon) 
one mug of warm water.

The dough should not be too dry (they get too firm) or too wet (they stick to the grid).

Let the dough prove for a couple of hours, form the rolls (the diameter of a tennis ball and about 2cm thick), thoroughly dust them with flour and place them on the grid. 
Do not grease the grid, but make sure that the rolls are thoroughly dusted with flour.

It took me a few times to find the right hight for the grid. The first time the grid was too high, so I lowered it later to make the nice golden and crisp.

If you are not sure if they are ready take one and cut it open.

They needed between 15 to 20 minutes. Keep turning them regularly the whole time.

When I made them at Mata Mata I nearly burned them, as a Lion was visiting the waterhole while they were on the grid, lol.....