The festive season is a time for families to gather, spend quality time, and enjoy meals together. South African celebrities will do the same, cooking their favourite dishes for the family. All Gold tomato sauce ambassadors Bontle Modiselle, Robot Boii, and Somizi share their favourite festive recipes and what they will enjoy for Christmas lunch.

BONTLE MODISELLE-MOLOI

Her family usually comes together and visits two or three homes for Christmas. The first half of the day is spent at her husband's side of the family - the Molois and the other half with her mom's side. "So, that is exactly what we do.' Although she is a healthy eater, she plans to indulge in this festive season. "My go-to Christmas lunch is anything with meat. I love my protein. I am a clean eater, I love salads, fish, chicken, and white meats. But this December, I want red meat, steak, mogodu, the works, a full plate of goodness.

Bontle's fragrant Beef

Ingredients:

Trimmed beef chuck or other inexpensive cuts

Ginger and garlic

Coriander

Five spices

White Vinegar

Salt

Recipe:

Cut the beef into 1-1/2 inch cubes and cover with boiling water in a saucepan to boil for one hour until tender.

Drain off access liquid

Let it rest and reheat the beef

Bring to a boil with the remaining ingredients, and cook for 10 more minutes.

SOMIZI MHLONGO

He has his very own cookbook and loves the holiday season. This festive, he will be indulging in hearty meals. "I'm not a fan of turkeys, roasted chickens, and things - they tend to be dry. I love soul food; stews, mutton curries, and oxtails. I also love savoury rice and lately, I've been loving making Asian food,' he said. On Christmas I'll be making short rib, braai meat and oxtail.'

Somizi's Oxtail Ragu

Ingredients

Beef oxtail

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

4 cups of tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth, or enough to cover the oxtails

sherry vinegar

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh oregano

1 sprig of fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

red pepper flakes

Recipe

Preheat the oven.

Lightly oil a baking pan large enough to hold the oxtail.

Rub oxtail sections with olive oil; season with salt and black pepper.

Put onion and garlic in prepared pan and place oxtails.

Roast for 25 minutes. Flip oxtails; continue roasting until well browned for 35 minutes more.

Add All Gold tomato sauce, along with chicken stock, vinegar, thyme, oregano, rosemary, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and red pepper flakes to the baking pan; stir and transfer mixture to a large pot.

Place over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to simmer.

Cover the pot and reduce the heat. I

Simmer over low heat until oxtails for five hours, until very tender and easily separate from bones. 

?

ROBOT BOII

Influencer, dancer, musician and the multi-talented son of poet Mzakwe Mbuli, Robot Boii, tells ZiMoja that besides working and gigging, he plans to spend good quality time with his family around Christmas time. "I am linking up with family. They will be cooking, I will not be near the pots.' His favourite holiday season dish is any fragrant rice. "I'm on my health journey now, so I love a good basmati rice dish with a twist. I also love a good coleslaw.'

Robot Boii's basmati dish

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice

Mixed Vegetables

Water

Garlic

Cooking Oil

Stock cube

Recipe:

Start by heating a pot or pan with cooking oil.

Add and sear minced garlic

Add water and chicken stock

Add rice,stir rice and let it come to a boil.

Lower the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook rice pilaf for 15-17 minutes. I like to check at the 15-minute mark.

Once the rice is done, add defrosted mixed vegetables.