Welcome to the inaugural edition of my column, where I’ll be sharing my favourite recipes. I’m Coennie Muundjua, a Windhoek native, and my culinary journey commenced in 2003 as a waiter at the Kalahari Sands Hotel. Little did I know that this humble beginning would lay the foundation for a remarkable career in the culinary world.

I honed my skills at Sun City, South Africa, earning a Diploma as a Chef Comi 1. My passion for this craft led me to the NUST Hotel School, and I had the opportunity to showcase my culinary talent on the international stage, competing in an African chef competition in Botswana, where I achieved an impressive fourth place out of 16 contestants from across the continent.

I’m also a certified food judge, and hold the rank of Senior Chef. Beyond my culinary pursuits, I’ve been actively engaged in social responsibility since 2016, preparing meals for the homeless and elderly, in collaboration with Top Score Namibia.

Currently, I’m dedicating my culinary expertise to creating an upcoming cookbook set to be released in December.

Now, let’s dive into the first recipe I’d like to share with you:

Pita Bread and Cheesy Mustard Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 500g Lean mince

• Chutney

• Garlic

• Onions

• Tomatoes

• Honey

• Aromat (Beef Flavour)

• 2 Eggs

• Brown bread crumbs

• Green pepper

• Pan-fried Pita bread (Spar Retailer)

• Mustard

• Gouda

• Coriander

• Rosemary

• Bokomo bread flour

• Olive oil

• Cooking oil

Preparation:

Gently mix the lean mince with chopped onions, green pepper, two eggs, garlic, five spoons of chutney, four spoons of bread crumbs, one spoon of coriander, half a spoon of rosemary, four spoons of Bokomo bread flour, four spoons of mustard, two spoons of honey, and four to six spoons of olive oil.

Form the mince mixture into small balls of your preferred size.

Add a small amount of cooking oil to your pan and preheat your oven to 140 degrees Celsius.

After five minutes, place your meatballs in the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs.

Slice or dice tomatoes into small pieces, sprinkle cheese and tomatoes on the Pita bread, and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Your delicious meal is ready to be enjoyed!