Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Slow Cooked Lamb Shanked
This recipe is so convenient to make. All you need to do is prepare the vegetables, pop it in the oven and forget about it for two hours. Best of all it’s made in one pan which is a plus, gives you time to spend some extra time with your family or catch up on your TV serial!
Ingredients: 2 lamb shanks Salt and pepper to taste 1 small onion sliced into quarters 3 – 4 medium size potatoes 3 carrots 1-2 jalapeño peppers slit in half ( optional) 3 cloves of garlic, I left the peels on 3 bay leaves A few sprigs of rosemary 3/4 cup vegetable stock
One-pan Wonder
Method: Add all the ingredients in an oven proof pan or dish. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Pour the vegetable stock over and cover with foil. Slow cook at 170°C for 2 hours. Remove foil and grill further for 15 minutes.
Kebabs or burgers can be made weeks before the time, pre-baked and frozen. Homemade, no preservatives. You’ll get approximately 15 burgers from a kilogram of chicken mince. You may substitute the chicken mince with steak/beef/lamb mince. Make chicken mince by shredding fillets in a food processor.
My recipe for kebabs or burgers
Ingredients:
1kg fresh chicken or steak mince
3 large onions, finely grated
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced ginger
1 Tbsp. minced green chillies or to taste
1 heaped Tbsp. jeera/cumin powder
2 tsp salt or to taste
1 bunch dhanya, finely chopped
Chicken Kebabs
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight for the flavours to develop. Next day shape the mixture into burgers or use a burger shaper. Separate the burgers with round pieces of greaseproof paper, big enough to cover the whole burger. Freeze until needed. This mixture can also be used to make chicken kebabs. Pre-bake for about 6 minutes in the oven to hold the shape (can be frozen at this point) before putting the kebabs on the grill. Cook from frozen. Serve with naan bread and a healthy salad for a scrumptious meal.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Osso bucco in Italian means bone with a hole. This classic braised veal from northern Italy is the world’s best make-ahead dish —it tastes amazing on the second day. Traditionally the osso buco is made with veal shanks braised with vegetables, stock and wine. It’s served with saffron infused Risotto.
My husband bought this piece of meat the other day. I was looking for inspiration from my Facebook followers as to what cook with this cut of meat. I had suggestions from stew to soup to curry to Nihari curry and quite a few people suggested osso bucco. The name of the dish intrigued me as I have never heard of it. So, I decided to go with a recipe that Marley Roos shared with me. I’ve made a few adaptions so I’ll add the original recipe below.
All the recipes called for wine as one of the key ingredients. Well, that is clearly a NO for me, so I just decided to omit the wine and the end results were just as good, in my opinion. I also used homemade stock. I’ll share my recipe for homemade stock in a different post. This recipe is a perfect winter dish and definitely a keeper, to be repeated many times!
I started with preparing the vegetables. Chopped onions, celery sticks, garlic and carrots.
Heat 2 Tbsps butter and 2 Tbsps in a pan. Add the peeled and chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic.
Stir fry until the onions are golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer into a large ovenproof dish.
Heat the remaining butter and oil in a large pan.
In a bowl, season the flour with salt and pepper to taste. Coat the shanks with the flour.
Add the shanks, don’t overcrowd the pan, brown well on both sides.
Continue until all the meat is browned.
Place the browned shanks on top of the vegetables.
Empty the two cans of tomatoes into the same pan you used to brown the meat in.
Add the stock, bayleaves, thyme and lemon rind.
Simmer for about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the shanks. Cover the dish. Bake in a preheated oven.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for about 11⁄2 hours or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
I served mine with boiled basmati rice.
Heres the full recipe:
Osso Buco, Cape Malay Style
Ingredients:
800g beef shank with marrow bone
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large carrots
3 celery sticks
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup cake flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1/2 litre beef stock
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
3 bayleaves
Grated rind of one lemon
Chopped parsley for garnish
Method:
Heat 2 Tbsps butter and 2 Tbsps in a pan. Add the peeled and chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic.
Stir fry until hte onions are golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer into a large ovenproof dish.
In a bowl, season the flour with salt and pepper to taste. Coat the shanks with the flour.
Heat the remaining butter and oil in a large pan.
Add the shanks, don’t overcrowd the pan, brown well on both sides.
Continue until all the meat is browned.
Place the browned shanks on top of the vegetables.
Empty the two cans of tomatoes into the same pan you used to brown the meat in.
Add the stock, bayleaves, thyme and lemon rind. Bring the sauce to the boil, season with salt and pepper if needed. At this point you could add a tablespoon or two sugar according to taste, this is totally optional. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the shanks. Cover the dish.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for about 11⁄2 hours or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
To serve garnish with chopped parsley and grated lemon rind (I forgot to do so 😊)
I served mine with boiled basmati rice.
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Spice meatballs served with flat bread and a yoghurt salad. Quick, refreshing and very easy to make for a light meal on a hot summer’s day.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
Ingredients:
500g minced beef, chicken or lamb (washed and drained)
1 finely chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp jeera/cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Handful chopped dhanya
Salt to taste
Oil for frying #capemalaycooking
Method:
Add the onions and spices to the minced meat and knead the mixture well. Pop the mixture in the fridge for about 1 hour to allow flavours to develop.
Shape the mixture into small meatballs then fry in a little oil till browned and cooked through. Serve with flat bread, salad and yoghurt sauce. Serves 4
Flat Bread
4 cups wholemeal flour
1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter (optional)
Pour the flour and into mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour. Gradually pour in the water and mix to make a dough. You may need more water but start with a cup full. Turn out onto a floured surface and kneed for 5 – 8 minutes until smooth and elastic like. Place the dough back in the bowl and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 10 -15 pieces, depending on how big you want the bread. Roll out into a flat disk on a floured surface. Heat a dry frying pan until hot and cook one at a time. Cook each side until it begins to puff up, about 1 – 2 minutes on each side. Smear each side of the flat bread with butter, if using. Wrap it in foil to keep warm whilst the other bread are being baked. These flat breads may be used as tortilla wrappers if rolled out very thinly. Makes 10 – 15 flat breads.
Serve with boiled plain rice or my kids love it with cooked spaghetti.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 heaped tsp chilli powder, or to taste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp jeera / cumin
500g minced beef
1 can chopped tomatoes
½ tsp oregano
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp pepper, or to taste
2 Tbsp tomato purée
1 can red kidney beans
Method:,
Heat the oil in a medium size pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and golden brown. Add in the garlic, red pepper, chilli, paprika and cumin. Give it a stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the minced meat to the pan and break it up with your spoon. Keep stirring for at least 5 minutes, until all the mince is cooked and there are no more pink bits.
Add the can of chopped tomatoes. Add the oregano, sugar, salt, pepper and the 2 tablespoons of tomato purée and stir the sauce well.
Simmer gently for about 20 minutes. You should check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan or isn’t drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and make sure that the heat is low. After simmering gently, the mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy.
Drain and rinse the beans in a colander and stir them into the chilli pot. Gently cook for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry.
Homemade Corned Beef (Sout Vleis)
Corned beef served with homemade bread or homemade bread rolls are traditionally served on Eid mornings for breakfast. Very often this will be accompanied by pastei (a large minced meat or steak and kidney pie)
There’s still a couple of days left if you want to start making your own corned beef. 🙂 Homemade corned beef is very easy to make and very inexpensive compared to shop bought corned beef.
Homemade bread rolls filled with homemade corned beef
Ingredients:
4 ½ litres water
2 cups salt
½ cup sugar
5 tsp pink salt*
2 tsp garlic (crushed)
4 Tbsp pickling spice**
2 ½ kg beef brisket, topside or silverside
Spices
Method:
Combine the water, salt, sugar, pink salt, garlic and 2 tablespoons pickling spice in a large deep pot. Bring it to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the mixture until it’s completely chilled.
Place the brisket in the mixture (brine). Put a plate on top of the meat to keep it submerged in the brine. Refrigerate and leave to marinade for 7 days.
Submerge the beef in the brine for seven days.
Remove the corned meat from the brine and rinse it thoroughly under cool running water.
Ready to be cooked
Cooking the corned beef:
Place the brisket in a pot large enough to hold it and add enough water to cover the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 3 hours or until the brisket is soft and tender. Ensure the brisket is covered with water all the time whilst cooking. Add more water if it gets too low.
Remove the corned beef from the water. Allow to cool, slice the corned beef and serve warm or cool, then wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Corned beef can be refrigerated for up to a week.
Chops infused with a mint flavoured marinade served with a mint sauce served with a baby leaf salad.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
Ingredients:
Serves 6
12 lamb chops, trimmed
3 red chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 pack (20g) of fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
For the mint sauce:
250g plain smooth yoghurt (2x175g tubs)
Small pack mint, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
For the salad:
1 packet baby leaf salad mix
½ red onion J
uice of half a lemon
Seasoning as required
Method:
To make the mint sauce:
Place the yoghurt in a bowl, add the chopped mint, lemon juice.
Season with salt and pepper, mix well to combine.
Sprinkle with the lemon zest and set aside.
To make the chops: Place the finely chopped chillies, garlic, lemon juice with zest, mint and olive oil in a bowl.
Mix well until a paste forms and season with salt and pepper. Spread the paste over the chops and cook on hot griddle pan or under pre-heated grill.
For better results refrigerate for at least an hour before cooking, Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side depending on how you like your lamb, medium or well done.
Serve with the mint yoghurt and salad.
To make the salad, add the baby leaf salad in a bowl with the thinly sliced onion and toss with the lemon juice. Season and serve.
Bobotie one of the oldest and most delicious recipes in Cape cuisine.Bobotie.
Ingredients:
2 slices white bread (preferably a couple of days old)
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 large chopped onion
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp crushed garlic
salt to taste (approx 5ml)
3 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
500g minced meat (lamb or beef)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp lemon juice
6 bay leaves
For the topping:
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
Method:
Preheat oven to 180° Celsius. Pour cold water to cover over the bread and set aside to soak.
Meanwhile fry onions in oil until they soft and starting to colour, 10 minutes. Add cloves, garlic, salt, curry powder, 2 of the bay leaves and turmeric and simmer for 5 minutes adding 2 Tbsp water if necessary to prevent the onions from sticking.
In a seperate bowl combine the minced meat with the onion mixture, eggs, lemon juice and sugar. Squeeze the water from the bread and mix until well blended.
Tip into an ovenproof dish (23 x 33cm and about 5-6cm deep). Press the mixture down well and smooth the top. You can make this and chill 1 day ahead.
Bake the Bobotie in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. At this stage I take a fork and just ever so slightly scrape the top to even it. Mix the eggs and milk together and pour the mixture over the Bobotie.
Return it to the oven and bake grill a further 5 -10 minutes until the egg mixture has cooked and the top of the Bobotie and a beautiful golden brown colour.
Serve with almond yellow rice, braised rice, vegetables and mango chutney.
Variations:
– Add a couple tablespoons of mango chutney or apricot preserves to the meat if you like. A grated apple is also sometimes added.
– Stir a handful of toasted, slivered almonds into the meat mixture before cooking, or garnish the finished dish with toasted almonds.
– One or two beaten eggs can also be stirred into the meat mixture if you like.
– Substitute lemon leaves for the bay leaves if you can find them.
Serve this tender lamb with your favorite gravy and vegetables.
Ready in 3 hours – 3 1/2 hours, dependent on the size of your leg of lamb
Ingredients:
1 large head of garlic, lightly crushed
10 cloves
10 allspice berries
7 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 whole large leg of lamb, bone in (about 2.5kg)
Salt & pepper to taste
Trim excess fat and rinse the leg of lamb under running water.
Preheat the oven to 190C.
Put the lamb into a large roasting tin /Pyrex dish . Using a sharp knife, make cuts in the lamb, about 1.5cm apart, all the way to the bone.
Rub salt and pepper all over the leg of lamb, don’t skimp on the pepper!
Lightly crush a head of garlic, not necessary to peel but do remove excess peels.
Scatter the head of garlic, cloves, allspice, bay leaves around the leg of lamb.
Top with the sprigs of rosemary.
Add a cup of water. Cover with foil. Cook in a preheated oven at 190C for 3 – 3 1/2 hours.
In the meantime prepare your vegetables. Remember you can use any vegetables you like.
Wash and half, if necessary, 1 kg baby potatoes. Drain excess water. Add the potatoes in a roasting / Pyrex dish. Add salt and crushed black pepper to taste. Drizzle a tablespoon or two olive oil over the potatoes and add a quarter cup of water. Cover with foil. Pop in the oven an hour before the leg of lamb is done. The potatoes will turn out crispy on the outside and soft in the inside.
Leg of lamb halfway through the cooking time.
Peel, de-seed and slice butternut into small pieces. Peel carrots and cut into smaller pieces. Melt 50g unsalted butter and 50ml vegetable oil in a saucepan. When the butter/oil begins to bubble add a a couple of stick cinnamon and the butternut pieces. Brown on each side.
Add the carrots, toss lightly so that the carrots are coated with the butter/oil mixture. Season to taste (salt and a bit of pepper will do) Cover and allow to steam over low heat until the vegetables are soft but not mushy.
Roasted potatoes.
Butternut and carrots, cooked.
Ready to eat 🙂
Serve with homemade peppercorn sauce
Ingredients:
3 – 4 tablespoons black peppercorns
80g butter
1 large onion, minced
120ml beef stock
100ml fresh cream
salt to taste
Method:
Crush the peppercorns slightly, either using a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the peppercorns and boil for another 3 minutes. Add beef stock and boil another 3 minutes.
Just before serving, add the cream and reduce the heat to medium. Heat through, but don’t allow the peppercorn sauce to boil. Once the sauce is at your desired thickness, test for seasoning. Add salt if necessary, then serve immediately.
Enjoy 🙂
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Shepherd’s Pie also known as Oond Frikkadel or Cottage Pie is a classic dish which pretty much everyone I’ve ever met has their own way of making. This is my way which I’ve kept really simple and it’s a winner every time I make it. Make sure you buy the best quality mince you can afford, as it really makes the dish, there’s nothing worse than an oily and fatty cottage pie. This recipe serves 6.
Shepherd’s pie” is made from lamb (hence “shepherd”), while “cottage pie” is made with beef.
Shepherd’s Pie, Cottage Pie, Oond Frikkadel
Ingredients:
500g fat free minced meat
1 medium onion
1 small green pepper
1 medium tomato
1/2 bunch dhanya
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
5 cloves garlic, grated
1 slice bread soaked in water (preferably day or two old)
1 large egg
salt & pepper to taste
Method:
Wash and drain minced meat well.
Soak bread in water and squeeze excess water out.
Chop onion, pepper, tomato, dhanya finely.
Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly using your hands.
Transfer the mixture into an oven proof dish.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes at 180C.
Top with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.
Grill in the oven until top is slightly browned.
Serve with yellow rice, steamed vegetables or fresh salad.
Yellow Rice
Yellow Rice Recipe
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked basmati rice
¼ teaspoon turmeric
5 cardamom pods, crushed
3 stick cinnamons
50g butter
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
½ cup raisins, optional
Method:
I always parboil my rice and then rinse as I don’t like the starch on the rice.
Using a large saucepan parboil the rice until half cooked approximately 5- 7 minutes.
Pour into a colander, rinse and return to the saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients with a cup of water. Stir gently. Heat your saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 6 minutes. Stir with a fork to fluff and loosen the grains, turn the heat off. Leave the sealed saucepan on the stove, the retained heat will complete the cooking process and any water left will be absorbed leaving you with fluffy and tender yellow rice.
This lamb dish is one of the oldest recorded recipes in South African cuisine. It has a sweet – sour taste and its spices are very evocative of Indonesian cuisine. Serve with yellow or savoury rice, mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables.
**Savoury rice recipe below**
Ingredients:
1.5-2.0kg boneless lamb pieces
3 large onions (or 5 regular size onions)
50ml oil for frying the onions
Marinade:
6-8 big cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
6-8 whole cloves
6-8 whole allspice
1 teaspoon mustard seed
4 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
20ml sugar (optional)
Method
Trim the fat from the meat, remove the bones and cut the meat into pieces. Wash and drain.
Roughly chop the onions.
Combine marinade ingredients, add meat. Marinade the meat for at least one hour.
Heat a little oil in a heavy based pot and fry onions until golden brown.
Add the marinated meat to the onions and cook until meat is very tender and juicy. If you have the time, let it simmer on very low heat for a further half hour. If the meat gets too dry add some water.
Delicious served with yellow rice, mashed potatoes and boiled squash.
Cook’s tip:
Soak 50ml tamarind in 100ml water and add to marinade ingredients instead of vinegar or lemon juice.
SAVOURY RICE
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked long grain rice or basmati rice
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cardamom pods
2 stick cinnamons
100g butter
1 teaspoon salt
Handful chopped dhanya/fresh coriander
Method:
Parboil the rice until half cooked.
Pour into a colander, rinse, leave the rice in the colander whilst preparing the onions.
Heat your saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, melt, add the cardamom and stick cinnamon. Add the onions. Braise the onions until golden brown. Add the half cooked rice, salt and a cup of water. Heat the rice until warmed through. Add the dhanya/coriander, stir with a fork to loosen the grains and turn the heat off. Leave the sealed saucepan on the stove, the retained heat will complete the cooking process and any water left will be absorbed leaving you with fluffy and tender.
VARIATION:
Add a cup of mixed vegetables with the rice before steaming.
Add a tin of drained chick peas with the rice before steaming.
Serve this tender lamb with your favourite gravy and vegetables.
Ready in 2 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients:
10 cloves of garlic
10 cloves
10 bay leaves
1 whole large leg of lamb, bone in (about 2.2kg)
Salt & pepper to taste
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190C.
2. Put the lamb into a large roasting tin. Using a sharp knife, make cuts in the lamb, about 1.5cm apart, all the way to the bone.
3. Stuff 1 clove of garlic, clove, bay leave into the each of the cuts. Rub the leg of lamb with salt and pepper according to taste. Add a cup of water into the tin. Cover the tin loosely with foil and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Remove the foil and cook for another 30 minutes.
4. Put the meat on a platter, cover loosely with foil and leave in a warm place to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with gravy, roast potatoes, a selection of vegetables of your choice.
Marinade:
15ml crushed garlic
5 bay leaves
5 whole cloves
2ml dried thyme
5ml dried sage
20ml curry powder
60ml lemon juice or vinegar
45ml sugar
5ml salt (or too taste)
Marinated Chops Sosatie
Combine the marinade ingredients and marinade chops for at least 1 hour or longer if you have time. Transfer into a oven proof dish cover with sliced onions and cook, covered, with aluminium foil in a preheated oven (200C) for 50 – 60 minutes.
Ready For The Oven
Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed mixed vegetables.
Savoury / Dhanya Rice
Dhanya Rice
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked long grain rice or basmati rice
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cardamom pods
2 stick cinnamons
100g butter
1 teaspoon salt
Handful chopped dhanya
Method:
Parboil the rice until half cooked.
Pour into a colander, rinse, leave the rice in the colander whilst preparing the onions.
Heat your saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, melt, add the cardamom and stick cinnamon. Add the onions. Braise the onions until golden brown. Add the half cooked rice, salt and a cup of water. Heat the rice until warmed through. Add the dhanya, stir with a fork to loosen the grains and turn the heat off. Leave the sealed saucepan on the stove, the retained heat will complete the cooking process and any water left will be absorbed leaving you with fluffy and tender.
VARIATION:
Add a cup of mixed vegetables with the rice before steaming.
Add a tin of drained chick peas with the rice before steaming.
Mavrou
A Cape Malay traditional dish which is usually served at weddings, on Eid and other special occasions. Mavrou is a very colourful dish and is usually made with steak.
Mavrou
Ingredients:
1 kg cubed steak or goulash
10 ml salt
10 ml ground jeera (cumin)
15 ml ground koljana (coriander)
10 ml barishap (fennel seeds)
15 ml crushed red chillies
3 cloves
3 whole all spice
10 ml ground ginger
10 ml ground garlic
3 cardamom pods
3 cinnamon sticks
Few strands saffron (optional)
4 large onions, thinly sliced
Oil for braising onions
2 large tomatoes, grated
Method:
• Combine all spices and mix well with meat. Marinate for at least an hour.
• Heat oil in large pot and braise onions until soft and golden, adding water when necessary.
• Add meat and cook covered until soft, adding water when necessary.
• Serve with white or savoury rice decorated with boiled eggs cut into quarters.
This great chilli has to be one of the best dishes to serve to friends for a casual get-together. It’s easy to throw together using mostly store cupboard ingredients.
Put your pan on the stove over a medium heat. Add the oil and leave it for 1-2 minutes until hot. Add the onions and cook, stirring fairly frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add in the garlic, red pepper, chilli, paprika and cumin. Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Brown the mince. Turn the heat up a bit, add the meat to the pan and break it up with your spoon . The mix should sizzle a bit when you add the mince. Keep stirring and prodding for at least 5 minutes, until all the mince is in uniform, mince-sized lumps and there are no more pink bits. Make sure you keep the heat hot enough for the meat to fry and become brown, rather than just stew.
Making the sauce. Crumble your stock cube into 300ml/1⁄2 pint of hot water. Pour this into the pan with the mince mixture. Open the can of chopped tomatoes and add these as well. Add the mixed herbs and the sugar, and add a good shake of salt and pepper. Squirt in about 2 tablespoons of tomato purée and stir the sauce well.
Simmer it gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes. You should check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan or isn’t drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and make sure that the heat really is low enough. After simmering gently, the saucy mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy.
Bring on the beans. Drain and rinse the beans in a sieve and stir them into the chilli pot. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry. Taste a bit of the chilli and season. It will probably take a lot more seasoning than you think. Now replace the lid, turn off the heat and leave your chilli to stand for 10 minutes before serving, and relax. Leaving your chilli to stand is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle and the meat. Serve with boiled plain rice or my kids love it with cooked spaghetti.
Pasta bake is such an easy dinner – try our pasta bake recipe to feed the kids a simple dinner.
KIDS LOVE THIS! Braise lean minced meat with 1 chopped onion, 1 teaspoon garlic, 3 cloves, pepper and salt to taste. The mince should be dry. Top with mashed potatoes and cooked spaghetti as a top layer. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Dot with blobs of butter. Heat through in the oven. Serve with a fresh salad.
Shepherd’s Pie also known as Oond Frikkadel or Cottage Pie is a classic dish which pretty much everyone I’ve ever met has their own way of making. This is my way which I’ve kept really simple and it’s a winner every time I make it. Make sure you buy the best quality mince you can afford, as it really makes the dish, there’s nothing worse than an oily and fatty cottage pie. This recipe serves 4.
Shepherd’s Pie, Cottage Pie, Oond Frikkadel
Ingredients:
500gr fat free minced meat
1 onion
1 small green pepper
1 tomato
1/2 bunch dhanya
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 slice slightly stale bread soaked in water
1 egg
salt & pepper to taste
Method:
Wash and drain minced meat well.
Soak bread in water and squeeze excess water out.
Chop onion, pepper, tomato, dhanya finely.
Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly using your hands.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes at 180C.
Top with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.
Grill in the oven until top is slightly browned.
Serve with yellow rice, steamed vegetables or fresh salad.
Yellow Rice
YELLOW RICE
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked basmati rice
¼ teaspoon turmeric
5 cardamom pods, crushed
3 stick cinnamons
50g butter
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
½ cup raisins, optional
Method:
I always parboil my rice and then rinse as I don’t like the starch on the rice.
Using a large saucepan parboil the rice until half cooked approximately 5- 7 minutes.
Pour into a colander, rinse and return to the saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients with a cup of water. Stir gently. Heat your saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 6 minutes. Stir with a fork to fluff and loosen the grains, turn the heat off. Leave the sealed saucepan on the stove, the retained heat will complete the cooking process and any water left will be absorbed leaving you with fluffy and tender yellow rice.
Ingredients: 500g lean beef 4 spring onions 2 cloves garlic 2.5cm piece ginger 2 carrots 2 small leaks 1 stick celery 3 tablespoons oil salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dhanya 2 tablespoons soya sauce
Method: Cut the beef into thin strips. Wash and chop the garlic and ginger. Peel the carrots, leeks and celery and cut into matchsticks.
Heat the oil in a wok. Add the spring onions, garlic and ginger. Cook for 4 minutes over a medium heat. Add the beef and cook over a high heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Season.
Add the remaining vegetables, soya sauce and cook over a high heat for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the coriander and cook for about 1 minute.
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