Steamed bread with Peppadews® & cheese

Recipe

Steamed bread with Peppadews® & cheese​

Serves 6 –8

This bread is warm, soft and soooo fluffy! It almost feels like a little cloud in your mouth.
Whether you know it as steamed bread, dombolo or ujeqe, you just have to make one soon! This is a real South African favourite and you can enjoy it with braaied meat or any meal where you plan to serve bread. It’s a yeast-based bread dough, but instead of baking it in the oven, it’s steamed in a greased bowl in a pot of gently simmering water. The bread therefore has a completely different texture and not a hard outer crust, but the end result is utterly gorgeous.

Traditionally, it is a plain dough, but feel free to get creative with the seasonings you add – the options are endless! Caramelised onions will be delicious in this bread dough. Alternatively, add cooked bacon, cheese, sliced jalapeños, fresh herbs, olives, peppers, sundried tomatoes, spinach or feta, or any combination of these. In this version, we added some true South African flavours, by combining Peppadews® and cheese which is absolutely delicious. A warm slice, straight from the pot, just with some butter, is … yum!

I promise you, once you’ve tried this, you will be making it soon again!

Ingredients

500 g stoneground or ordinary white bread flour

½ x 10 g packet (7,5 ml) instant yeast

5 ml (1 tsp) light brown sugar

5 ml (1 tsp) salt

375-500 ml (1½-2 cups) lukewarm water, or more if needed

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

extra flour for kneading

6-8 Peppadews®, cut into strips

1 cup (250 ml) coarsely grated mature white cheddar cheese

Method

1. Place flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir through. Make a well in the middle and start by adding two-thirds of the water to the flour, Mix through with a wooden spoon or use your hands.
2. Gradually add more water, if needed, until a soft, manageable dough forms. Knead in the oil. Add a tablespoon or two of extra flour, if the dough remains too sticky.
3. Knead by hand in the bowl until dough is soft and smooth. When lightly pressed with your finger, it should bounce back immediately. If not, continue to knead for another few minutes.
4. Spread a few drops of oil into a clean mixing bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place a clean dish towel or blanket over the bowl. Place the bowl in a warm spot like a sunny windowsill, a car or close to a warm oven. Allow to rise for 20-30 minutes or until doubled in volume.
5. Knock down the dough with your hands. Add the Peppadews® and cheese and knead until well combined and evenly dispersed through the dough.
6. Lightly grease a large 2 litre, heatproof enamel or glass bowl that will fit into a large pot (5-8 litre capacity).
7. Shape the dough with your hands to be just smaller than the bowl. Place dough in the greased bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Allow to rise again in a warm place for another 20-30 minutes or until doubled in volume.
8. Meanwhile, pour about 3–4 cups of water into the large pot and bring to a boil over a medium temperature. Place the bowl into the water and cover with a lid.
9. Reduce heat and allow to simmer gently for 40-45 minutes, or until bread is cooked. DO NOT open the lid during this time. Test with a cake tester or skewer – it should come out clean once cooked through.
10. Remove the bowl from the pot and allow the bread to cool for a few minutes in the bowl, then carefully turn out. Serve warm with butter.

Photo by Adel Ferriera for LiG Tydskrif‘s Winter 2026 issue