Amasi is more than just a drink, it’s a taste of Mzansi’s roots! Loved for generations, it holds a special place in tradition and everyday life.
If umvubo (umphokoqo/uphuthu with amasi) isn’t in your food vocabulary, then you’re missing out! From baking to cheese-making or enjoyed straight up, amasi isn’t just food; it’s our story, passed down through generations. It is a story of unity and power, with a dash of health and heritage in every sip.
A twist on savoury flavours
Celebrity chef Siphokazi Mdlankomo says amasi, also known as maas, can be used creatively in savoury dishes, such as making cream cheese, which pairs well with toasted bread or crackers.
She adds that amasi can be used as a substitute for milk in recipes without affecting the flavour, as it is easier to digest than regular milk.
“We can use amasi in marinades, adding fresh herbs and mild spices for extra flavour.”
Siphokazi Mdlankomo
She also says umphothulo, (fresh mielie bread served with amasi) is a well-loved quick meal, and especially popular in the Eastern Cape.
Gut-friendly drink
Amasi is a fermented milk product with a sour taste.
Because amasi has a low pH, it can help delay gastric emptying, resulting in beneficial effects on the glycaemic response, appetite control, and satiety, which may be very helpful in the weight management process, explains Maretha Vermaak, a registered dietitian for Rediscover Dairy.
She says including amasi in your diet will help you reach your recommended three servings of dairy a day, ensuring you meet your calcium needs for strong bones.
“Amasi is an ideal vehicle for the delivery of probiotics. Incorporation of probiotics in fermented milk has beneficial health effects, such as improving your blood fat profile and heart health.”
Maretha Vermaak
She further notes that the high potassium and relatively low sodium content of amasi results in a low sodium-to-potassium ratio, which is important in the prevention of hypertension (high blood pressure) and cardiovascular disease.
Maybe you’ve seen people include amasi in their baking. Vermaak says amasi gives a lovely texture and rich colour to baked goods and enhances the taste of the end product.
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Many ways to enjoy amasi
By adding amasi to your baking instead of water, she says you add all the important nutrients associated with dairy, such as good quality protein, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and B2, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc.
Amasi can be used in baking (rusks, breads, cakes, scones) or in stews, soups, sauces, marinades, and salad dressings. Vermaak says it can also replace buttermilk in any recipe.
She adds that amasi can also be used with chillies and curries to take the sting out of the burn and highlight the subtle flavour. It works well with citrus zest and garlic.
“Unfortunately, heat kills the probiotics in amasi, and you would no longer benefit from the healthy bacteria it provides.”
She explains that when baking or cooking with amasi, you will still be getting the benefit of most of the nutrients in amasi, such as good quality protein and calcium.
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Vermaak says there are many healthy ways to enjoy amasi, including:
- Enjoy it as an anytime drink, on its own or use it as a recovery drink after sport.
- Amasi with some bread can serve as a complete meal.
- Pour it over maize meal porridge (pap).
- Serve it with fruit, as you would use yoghurt or kefir.
- Use it as a substitute for buttermilk or yoghurt when baking rusks, breads or muffins.
- Add it to soups, pasta, smoothies, dips and sauces for a creamy taste.
- Amasi is an effective recovery drink after sport.
- Make sure you always have amasi on hand: you can freeze commercially produced amasi for up to three months. Just shake it well after defrosting.
Make chef Pumla Brook-Thomae’ amasi rye bread
Ingredients
- 350g rye flour
- 350g nutty wheat flour
- 250g bread flour
- 400g rye flour
- 3 tsp active dried yeast
- 3 tsp salt
- 450ml lukewarm water
- 350ml full-cream amasi
- 60ml raw honey
- 100g extra bread flour (if needed)
Method
- Mix dry ingredients by combining rye flour, nutty wheat flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and whisk together lukewarm water, amasi, and raw honey.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and knead them into a sticky dough.
- Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky, add extra bread flour
- Place the dough in a large bowl, cover, and let it proof for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Divide and shape the dough into two loaves. Lightly oil and flour two baking tins.
- For final proofing, place the dough in the prepared tins and let it proof again until doubled in size.
- Before baking, sprinkle flour on top of the two doughs and score the bread to your desired pattern. Bake until hollow when tapped and a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
- Serve with homemade butter and no sugar berry preserve.
Tips and variations:
- For a crisper crust, bake the bread at a higher temperature (220°C) for the first 10-15 minutes.
- Experiment with different types of flours, swap bread flour for cake wheat flour or flavourings, such as caraway seeds, sesame and poppy seeds for nutrient dense bread.
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