---
title: "Lockdown Recipe of the Day: Umleqwa"
description: "Umleqwa is also called a hard-body or hand-raised chicken that tends to be tough because it’s free range. It takes longer to cook than a supermarket chicken in order for it to be tender, but the flavour of this chicken is unsurpassed, writes Dorah Sitole in her new book, Dorah Sitole 40 Years of Iconic Food (Human & Rousseau)."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "TGIFOOD"
author: "Dorah Sitole"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/dorah-sitole/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-11-12-lockdown-recipe-of-the-day-umleqwa/"
published: "2020-11-12T08:53:47"
updated: "2020-11-12T12:24:19"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 266
---

# Lockdown Recipe of the Day: Umleqwa

> Umleqwa is also called a hard-body or hand-raised chicken that tends to be tough because it’s free range. It takes longer to cook than a supermarket chicken in order for it to be tender, but the flavour of this chicken is unsurpassed, writes Dorah Sitole in her new book, Dorah Sitole 40 Years of Iconic Food (Human & Rousseau).

By Dorah Sitole · Published 12 November 2020, 10:53 SAST · Updated 12 November 2020, 14:24 SAST

## Content

Serves 4-6

**Ingredients**

1 whole hand-raised chicken, cut into portions

750 ml (3 cups) water

2 cubes chicken stock

1 large onion, sliced

1 large green pepper, seeded and diced

250 g button mushrooms, sliced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

10 ml (2 teaspoons) curry powder

½ x 50 g packet cream of mushroom soup

**Method**

Place the chicken portions in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the water and bring to a boil.

Add the stock cubes, lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 2 hours. Replenish the water if necessary.

Add the onion, green pepper, mushrooms and potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and curry powder.

Dissolve the mushroom soup in a little cold water and add to the stew to thicken it.

Continue to simmer gently for a further 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Simmer until the chicken is soft and falls off the bone. Serve on ting, mielie pap or idombolo. Recipes for both ting and idombolo are in Sitole’s book.

**TGIFood Tip:**Hand-raised chickens are available from downtown butcheries or township merchants. **DM168/TGIFood**

*This recipe comes from Dorah Sitole's book:*

![Published by Human & Rousseau. (Cover photograph by Roelene Prinsloo)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/TUv454y5sg3EboZAuIV0gIwRekA=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/Dorah-Sitole.jpg)

*Published by Human & Rousseau. (Cover photograph by Roelene Prinsloo)*

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