Amasi

Step 1: Wash a 1.5 litre glass jar and its lid in hot soapy water, then rinse with boiling water and let it drain dry.

Step 2: Warm 4 ¼ cups full-fat milk in a pan over a low heat to about 77°F, just cooler than your finger, then pour it into the jar.

Step 3: Stir in ¼ cup cultured buttermilk, cover loosely with the lid or a clean cloth and leave at room temperature (20–77°F), away from the stove and direct sun.

Step 4: Leave for 24–48 hours without stirring, until the milk has set thick and wobbly and smells pleasantly sour. Throw it away if it smells bad or shows any mould or pink or grey colours.

Step 5: Stir gently, put the lid on and chill for at least 4 hours. Keep in the fridge and use within 5 days; save 60 ml as the starter for your next batch.

Step 6: For the phutu, bring 1 ¾ cups water and 1 tsp salt to the boil in a heavy pot over a high heat.

Step 7: Tip in 10 ½ oz white maize meal all at once so it forms a mound, cover and leave it over a medium heat for 5 minutes without stirring.

Step 8: Break the mound up with a fork, stirring until the mixture looks like coarse, damp crumbs.

Step 9: Cover again and steam over the lowest heat, forking it through every 5 minutes, until the crumbs are dry, fluffy and taste cooked.

Step 10: Let the phutu cool to warm or room temperature, then spoon it into bowls and pour the cold amasi over to make umvubo.