Ukutya Kwasekhaya means ‘home cooking’ in Xhosa, the first language of South Africa’s former president, Nelson Mandela, and is the title of a new book by his personal chef of many years, Xoliswa Ndoyiya. Mandela’s tastes are simple and he is happiest with traditional food, according to Xoli, as his chef is fondly known. Her new book, which is called Tastes from Nelson Mandela’s Kitchen in English, offers 62 recipes . This is how she prepares umsila wenkomo – or  oxtail stew, one of Mandela's favourites  

Ingredients:                 Serves 6 to 8
3 kilos oxtail, excess fat removed
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon barbecue spice
5 large carrots, peeled and sliced
250 grams green beans, sliced
4 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
60 grams oxtail soup powder (use 2 beef stock cubes if not available)
Salt and white pepper, to taste

The next step:
1) Put the oxtail in a large pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook until the water has evaporated. The meat will start to brown in its own fat.
2) Add the paprika and barbecue spice with enough water to cover the oxtail. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat until the oxtail is tender, about 2 hours. Keep checking that there is still enough liquid to cover the meat, adding more water when necessary.
3) Add the carrots, beans, potatoes and soup powder (or stock cubes) and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
4) Season and serve.

Tastes from Nelson Mandela’s Kitchen, by Xoliswa Ndoyiya with Anna Trapido is published by Real African Publishers and is available through Red Pepper Books

Try more South African cooking and some of the country’s finest wines while driving Route 62 – one of the world’s best wine routes and the Western Cape, a beach-and-wine experience