July 2026

From the farm dam/pond to the dinner table

It’s winter, wet and cold. Which means, it’s the perfect time to introduce you to a traditional South African winter dish. And I promise it tastes much better than the English name suggests.

What is ‘Waterblommetjie Bredie’?

‘Waterblommetjie Bredie’ originating from the Western Cape Province in South Africa. It’s made with lamb and the unique ‘waterblommetjies’ (Aponogeton distachyos), which are small edible buds of a water plant found in dams/ponds and marshes.

The name comes from Afrikaans, where ‘waterblommetjie’ means ‘little water flower’ and ‘bredie’ is derived from the Malay word for ‘stew’.

Pronunciation: (Afrikaans: vaa-ter-blom-ekies)

Before we’re heading to the kitchen to prepare this hearty dish, we’re going to show you where ‘waterblommetjies’ grow. The ‘waterblommetjie’ season is currently in full swing in the Boland. Just a few kilometers outside Wellington, there’s a farm where they grow ‘waterblommetjies’ and that’s where we were heading on a very foggy morning.

‘Waterblommetjie’ dams on a foggy morning

There are quite a few dams with ‘waterblommetjies’

The flower season for ‘waterblommetjies’ is from June to August (thus a very short season) and they are fast growers. These lightly scented flowers – they smell much like jasmine – drift on top of a valley dam/pond. The flowers cannot be used in food (they will simply cook away), but rather the young seed heads of the plants which are harvested and then used to make tasty ‘bredies’ (stews).

The texture of the flowers is somewhat like miniature artichoke leaves, but the taste steers more towards green beans with a hint of lemon.

‘Waterblommetjies’ drifting on top of the dam

Duck between the ‘waterblommetjies’

‘Waterblommetjies’

Getting closer to the ‘waterblommetjies’

Close up of a ‘waterblommetjie’

We bought fresh ‘waterblommetjies’ at our local market and turned it into a delicious stew on a rainy day (which is why it’s called a ‘winter dish’).

A rainy day on the farm

Although we made the ‘Waterblommetjie Bredie’ on the stove, we couldn’t resist lighting a fire in the indoor fireplace. With the house getting all warmed up, we opened a bottle of red wine – what could be better than this on a cold winter’s day?

We need this to make winter more enjoyable

Let’s start with our ‘Waterblommetjie Bredie’.

The ‘waterblommetjies’ need to be thoroughly washed before being used in the stew. It was soaked in salt water for a few hours and then washed under running water. This is to make sure to get rid of all the mud, sand, and bugs. The last step to prepare the ‘waterblommetjies’ is to boil it rapidly in clean water. Pour off the water and refresh the ‘waterblommetjies’ in cold water. Now, it’s ready to be used in our stew.

‘Waterblommetjies’ boiling and then placed in cold water

Clean ‘waterblommetjies’ and ready to be used

Ingredients:

1kg fresh ‘waterblommetjies’

1,5kg lamb

Olive oil (for braising)

2 Onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

5 cloves

10ml (2 teaspoons) coriander seeds

15ml (1 tablespoon) salt

5ml (1 teaspoon) black peppercorns

700g potatoes, cut into quarters

Lemon juice (2 small lemons)

Nutmeg, to taste

Ingredients

Method:

Sauté the meat in the olive oil. Scoop it out and set aside.

Sauté the meat

Sauté the onions and the garlic until transparent, then place the meat back in the pot.

Sauté onions and garlic and put meat back in pot

Sprinkle with cloves, coriander, salt and black peppercorns. Layer a quarter of the potatoes over this. (The potatoes will soak up some of the water so that the meat doesn’t cook to a pale colour). Put the lid on and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

Add spices and layer half of the potatoes on top

Stew after half an hour

Toss in a layer of ‘waterblommetjies’, followed by the lemon juice. The rest of the potatoes come right on top of everything else. Finally add the nutmeg.

Add ‘waterblommetjies’ and potatoes

The ‘waterblommetjies’ will cook until they fall apart and the flavours of the vegetables and meat will blend well.

Remove the lid to get rid of the excess liquid

‘Waterblommetjie Bredie’ ready to be served

This stew is best when it’s served over fluffy white rice. Besides being delicious, it’s also good to know that ‘waterblommetjies’ are a fat- and cholesterol-free vegetable offering a good source of protein, iron and Vitamin C – best of both worlds!

‘Waterblommetjie Bredie’ served over rice