Ukutya Kwasekhaya

Ukutya Kwasekhaya means "home food" in isiXhosa, the first language of South Africa's former president, Mr Nelson Mandela, and his personal chef of many years, Xoliswa Ndoyiya. This book is a collection of Xoliswa's favourite recipes; recipes that she has prepared for Mr Mandela and his family, friends, visiting heads of state, celebrities and politicians, for over 20 years. Each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful full-colour photograph and a quotation or anecdote from someone who is either especially fond of the dish or who has a special memory to relate or stor to tell. Madiba is now 93 years of age and, although he's the most famous man in the world, his tastes are simple; he is happiest with traditional food, which could be the key to his longevity. He prefers fruit for dessert, for example, and porridge for breakfast. He just loves his umngqusho (samp and beans), his umleqwa (farm chicken), ulusu (tripe), amasi (sour milk) and other isiXhosa dishes, all of which - and more - occupy pride of place in this book, alongside paella, peri-peri chicken, prawn curry and a myriad other western delights. Sis' Xoli, as she is affectionately known, serves up a simple, delicious, nourishing and visually appealing set of recipes. Each dish is easily prepared, and if done so in as loving a manner as Sis' Xoli's, your result will be very good indeed.

Xoliswa Ndoyiya was born in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape. She worked first for the Rothstein family in Johannesburg and then at the Jewish Old Age Home in Troyeville. In late 1990 she went to work for Mr Nelson Mandela. She has four children, to whom this book is dedicated. Anna Trapido was trained as an anthropologist at Kings College, Cambridge, and has a PhD in Community Health from the University of the Witwatersrand. She qualified as a chef at the Prue Leith Chef's Academy and has subsequently worked in hotels and restaurants in South Africa, Switzerland, England and India. She is a food writer, radio and television broadcaster.