Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Woolworths TASTE

WHAT IS ALWAYS in your fridge? We often ask this question in interviews with chefs, TV cooks and other food aficionados, but I’m not sure I’d want to answer it myself. It’s not pretty, my fridge. For starters, there are always at least half a dozen plastic containers (the shame). These do not contain the carefully portioned results of a weekend spent cooking big batches of hearty family favourites while wearing a Skinny LaMinx apron and humming “La Vie en Rose”. No. They contain things like the remains of a Woolies’ free-range rotisserie chicken, steamed broccoli for the Cherub, a tub of mystery salsa and, inexplicably, an assortment of half-used lemons. Some shelves are functional – there’s always deli meat for the Salad Dodger (for obvious reasons), soya milk for…

BLUE SALT Harvested from a salt lake in Iran, it’s perfect for fish and tomato dishes. FLEUR DE SEL Translated as “flower of salt”, its delicate flakes are harvested from sea salt beds in France. Use as a finishing salt with meat, eggs, chocolate and caramel. HAWAIIAN BLACK SALT These crystals from the Pacific Ocean contain activated coconut shell charcoal. Use it to season steak and Indian dishes. HIMALAYAN PINK SALT A rock salt with a subtle earthy flavour that can be used before, during and after cooking. KOSHER SALT A coarse cooking salt traditionally used in the koshering process. You can easily substitute coarse sea salt. Use it to salt pork fat or a whole chicken before roasting. MALDON SALT A premium gourmet sea salt from the south-east coast…

It’s true: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Exhibit A, this plate of glossy spring onions on a bright-white pool of horseradish-spiked buttermilk by ex-Noma chef Claus Hendriksen of Michelin-starred Danish restaurant Dragsholm Slot. Proof that, armed with this humble fridge staple and a vivid imagination, you really can do anything. Find the backstory on this and other knock-out plates from the likes of Noma and SA’s very own Babel in Story on a Plate – The Delicate Art of Plating (R1 029, gestalten) at good bookstores. And turn the page for more buttermilk inspo.…

I grew up in the small Western Cape town of Saron. Both my parents worked during the day, so my grandmother did most of the cooking. One of my best things was coming home after a day of playing cricket or rugby and finding her waiting with a plate of home-cooked food. Sunday lunch was a big thing. Gran would be up at 5:30 am to cook because church was at 10 and the food had to be done so it could be kept in the warming drawer. Roast potatoes and chicken, braaitjoppies, cauliflower and broccoli with béchamel … still my favourite kind of food. At 15, I got a holiday job working in the kitchen at Reuben’s in Franschhoek. I ended up helping Reuben’s mom, Sylvia, make the staff…

Hello Sailor “Cult and slightly off-centre” is how owner Boško Popovac describes the playlist of his Cape Town rock ‘n roll bistro. “The music ranges from blues, swing and funk to punk and metal,” he says, adding that the soundtrack is influenced by a host of variables, including the time of day, the weather and how many diners there are at a given time. This means regulars might hear Cab Calloway and Django Reinhardt one day, and Billy Idol and Pixies the next. “The music one eats to has to be positioned so it’s not overpowering,” he says. “You don’t want the customer to compete with music that’s too loud or up-tempo, but you also don’t want the volume so low that it doesn’t create atmosphere.” Boško also regularly leaves…

OXYGEN IS THE FRENEMY Some short-term oxygen exposure does enhance wine when you decant it or swirl the glass to release aroma and flavour, but extended exposure will ruin it. QUANTITY MATTERS If you have half a bottle of wine left, the other half of the bottle contains oxygen. Save the wine by pouring it into a smaller bottle (half bottles that seal with a cork are a good idea) or a small wine flask that seals tightly. REFRIGERATE Whether you’ve transferred the wine to a smaller vessel or not, always put it in the fridge, which will slow down the effects of the oxygen exposure and keep your wine drinkable.…

“If I were you, I’d buy the ready-made olive stir-through pasta sauce from Woolies” I’ve known Steph and Stefan for 25 years. They are childhood sweethearts who married straight out of university and have three beautiful, interesting and interested daughters. They are my goddaughters but I cannot rightfully boast about them because I am a terrible godmother. I forget birthdays and months go past without any contact but I delight in their (excellent) company when I do see them. I am always thrilled but not completely surprised that my two very clever, very funny, very aware and engaging friends have produced such fine young women. We don’t see one another as often as we would like to but when we do catch up, we inevitably reminisce fondly about our 20-something…

“ACTUALLY, compared with my original idea, it was too big,” says Will Hobson, describing the first time he saw the space now inhabited by Cape Town’s most cherished corner shop that’s not on a corner. He and co-owner Stephanie Anastasopoulos have been running Arthur’s Mini Super* from a pocket-sized storefront in Sea Point, Cape Town, since December 2018, and have built up a devoted fanbase. “Whuddup fam!” hails the trademark signage on the floor as you enter. This slang (to denote your close friends or chosen family) is apt, as the pair have created a community of likeminded folks who appreciate their philosophy that it’s all about the little things, and doing them well. And the tiny location is no small part of its success. “This is a space that…

Kefir may be cool right now, but did you know it was first made in 10 000 BC? Countless other foods made by fermenting milk or cream with a bacterial starter culture have been a dietary staple for centuries. Here’s how to get your fix at home AMASI (MAAS MILK) This sour milk is traditionally made in SA using unpasteurised milk fermented in a calabash (commercial versions are made using pasteurised, homogenised milk). Drink it straight up, or make a baked custard dessert, waffles or flapjacks. BUTTERMILK The role of buttermilk in almost any baking recipe is to lighten the batter. It’s also your secret to the creamiest mash (potato or cauli, you decide). CRÈME FRAÎCHE Richer and creamier than sour cream, crème fraÎche is made when bacteria…

THE NEW POTATO BAKE Serves 4 to 6 EASY GREAT VALUE Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 35 minutes Woolworths frozen crispy potato röstis 1 x 500 g packet butter 2 T flour 2 T full-cream milk 1 cup, heated cream 1 cup, heated mozzarella 50 g, grated white cheddar 50 g, grated ground white pepper, to taste salt, to taste 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the röstis on an oven tray and bake for 10 minutes on each side. 2 While the röstis are baking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 5–7 minutes, or until browned. Add the milk, whisking continually. Once the mixture has thickened slightly, add the cream and continue whisking until thick and creamy. Add the cheese and…

SPAGHETTI WITH PORK-AND-SAGE SAUSAGE AND BUTTER-ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE “This pasta sauce is a game-changer. You no longer have to stand over the pot stirring for hours. It’s the perfect base sauce for just about anything – melanzane parmigiana, lasagne, cheat’s shakshuka or even on pizza bases.” Serves 6 EASY GREAT VALUE Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 1 hour whole peeled tomatoes in tomato juice 1 x 800 g can garlic 8 cloves, smashed butter 60 g, cubed red chilli 1, halved smoked paprika 1 t smoked salt, to taste olive oil 1 T Woolworths pork-and-herb bangers 500 g, removed from casings spaghetti 500 g Parmesan, grated, for serving 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Pour the tomatoes into an ovenproof tray and crush lightly using the back of a fork. Add…

SAY: la z (like “blouse”) HOW TO GET THERE: I flew to Bangkok with Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa. From there, Bangkok Airways flies to the Laotian capital of Vientiane. GETTING AROUND: A daily bus network operates from Vientiane to all major provincial capitals. Local buses and songthaews (bakkies with sheltered seating in the back) will take you to remote areas. Travelling by air, train and boat is also possible. MONEY MATTERS: Laos is one of the cheaper Southeast Asian destinations. R1 = 615 Kip. Prices are negotiable, especially during the low season (March to May) when it is hottest and travellers are fewer. VISA: South Africans receive a 30-day visa on arrival at international border checkpoints for US$30. FOODIE GIFTS: Sticky rice is served in a thip khao across…

“Cannellini beans! They’re great for bulking up a veggie curry, and add creaminess to meaty sauces.” – Katharine Pope “Taters! Spuds! Love them roasted, mashed, cut into crispy home-made chips, squashed open with a generous amount of butter and seasoning… Such a versatile ingredient. This year I’m going to try my hand at making my own gnocchi – Abi’s burnt butter and sage pan-fried gnocchi with Parmesan is calling my name.” – Liesl Nicholson “Canned tomatoes. They’re the ultimate pantry superstar and the starting point for so many of my go-to recipes – butter chicken, Bolognese, chilli con carne, shakshuka … If you’ve got a can of tomatoes in the cupboard, you’re halfway to a cooked meal.” – Jeanne Calitz “Red wine vinegar. It’s way better than balsamic in a…

“My secret to crispy crackling is lots of kosher salt” “Season your cooking water until it’s as salty as the sea” – Samin Nosrat “This dish was inspired by one of my favourite chefs, Giles Edwards from La Tête” SZECHUAN WOK BEEF WITH SALTED LIME CUCUMBER “Use chicken or pork fillet instead of beef fillet if you prefer.” Serves 4 EASY Preparation: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour’s marinating time Cooking: 10–15 minutes cucumber 1, cut into pieces salt 1 t rice vinegar 1 cup lime juice 4 T beef fillet 400 g, cut into 3 cm cubes Szechuan peppercorns 1 T, crushed sunflower oil 2 T oyster sauce ½ cup sesame seeds 2 T, toasted jasmine rice, for serving 1 To make the cucumber, mix it with the salt, vinegar…

MEAT AND POULTRY Pre-salting meat well in advance allows time for the salt to do its work. Contrary to popular myth, you will end up with a moist and tender (not tough!) result. The larger the cut of meat, the earlier you should salt it – shortrib, thick steak or a whole chicken can be salted the day before cooking and refrigerated. SEAFOOD Fish can be salted 15–30 minutes before cooking, while other seafood should be salted at the time of cooking to prevent it from turning rubbery. VEGETABLES AND LEGUMES Salt veggies before roasting them with olive oil, and generously salt water for boiling and blanching before you add the vegetables. “Season your cooking water until it’s as salty as the sea,” says Samin Nosrat in her book Salt,…

Buttermilk jelly with sticky strawberries Place 400 g cubed strawberries in a small, heavy-based saucepan. Add 100 g caster sugar and ½ cup water and place over a low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer until the strawberries have softened and formed a sticky sauce. Remove from the heat, cool and add the juice of 1 lemon. To make the buttermilk jelly, soften 9 gelatine leaves in water, then squeeze out the excess liquid. Heat 1½ cups milk and 1 split vanilla pod until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Remove the vanilla pod. Add 115 g caster sugar, stirring until it dissolves, then whisk in the gelatine. Stir through 1½ cups buttermilk and pour the mixture into 4–6 lightly oiled moulds. Chill for at least…

The bread: The parfait is always served with the restaurant’s house-made brioche. “ We use Champagne Valley flour and Thorntree Farm eggs,” says Eloise. The parfait: According to Eloise, there’s no smoke and mirrors, just amazing local ingredients, technique and a decent food processor involved in achieving the silky consistency. “Our parfait is very classic, without any obscure additions or flavours. We simply deglaze the pan with a splash of local brandy before we blend everything together.” The finishing touches: For a final flourish, Alex sprinkles over Cerebos salt flakes or Cornish sea salt. The backstory: When husband-and-wife team Eloise and Alex Windebank opened Farro’s doors in 2018, they needed something “service proof” that could be plated and served without a sweat. “It had to be something simple and delicious…

They’re practical Yes, glass is great, but having your beer bottle shatter into a thousand shards isn’t. Neither is having your brewskies confiscated at a music festival. Guess what: cans are allowed in most public spaces where glass isn’t. When it comes to wine, single-serving cans give you the chance to chop and change varietals when you don’t want to commit to a full bottle. Best of all, if you’re caught short and don’t have enough drinks in the fridge, cans cool down much quicker than glass bottles. They’re green(er) Aluminium cans have an even smaller carbon footprint than glass. “Cans are infinitely recyclable – they’re the most recycled packaging material in South Africa,” says Tom Riley, MD and founder of Tiny Keg, a mobile canning supplier to local craft…

1 Waterford Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Waterford Estate produces splendid Cabs that make waves internationally. This one has classic aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, blueberry, lead pencil and woodspice, with a finely balanced texture. Put it away for 15 years. R399.99 2 La Motte Pierneef Collection Syrah Viognier 2016 Almost all Syrah grapes for this wine come from the cool, vineyards of Elim, where they ripen at a lower sugar level, producing gentle wines with a beguiling perfume and lower alcohol. Viognier adds a floral perfume to the spiciness of the Syrah. It’ll get even better over the next 12 years. R239.99 3 Woolworths Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2018 In 1990, Neil Ellis and I set out to blend the first Woolworths Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, aiming for a wine that…

“My curiosity eventually resulted in a neighbour offering me cooking lessons” Guangzhou, circa October 2016, could have been a very lonely place. My grasp of Mandarin was limited to “Good morning”, “Hello” and “Good night”, which didn’t exactly make it easy to get to know anyone. But I was determined to find a way to settle into this beautiful city – my new home for two years. What I did not anticipate, however, was that I would find the answer to feeling at home there by spending hours browsing the aisles of every single grocery store I entered. Initially, with no social life to speak of, I passed my free time by scouring the shelves in search of ingredients I recognised, and by making weekly trips to the wet market…

FALAFEL FUNDI in Florida Road, Durban, turns out bright Middle Eastern cuisine from a small menu. The tongue-in-cheek personality of the owners is a drawcard, backed up by popular platters and rotis. @falafel_fundi LEO’S WINE BAR in Bree Street, Cape Town, which pops up inside Max Bagels on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, offers an ever-evolving list of SA’s “most interesting” wines. @leoswinebar PAULINE’S in Sea Point, Cape Town, is a narrow coffee bar with a calming minimalist interior. The name sounds a little old fashioned; the space is assuredly not. It’s all about locally roasted, conscious coffee here. @paulinescoffeect PUBLIK in Rosebank, Joburg, is dedicated to sourcing wines from sustainably farmed vineyards. Visit the mini bar to discover your new favourite lesser-known wine. @publikwine THE GENERAL STORE in Bree…

HOISIN MUSHROOM BOWLS WITH PAK CHOI AND COCONUT RICE Serves 2 EASY GREAT VALUE Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking: 20 minutes basmati rice 100 g coconut milk ½ cup water ½ cup sesame seeds 1 T, lightly toasted (or 50 g roughly chopped cashew nuts) olive or coconut oil 1 T brown mushrooms 250 g, roughly chopped pak choi 3–4 heads, roughly chopped (or 6–8 stems Tenderstem broccoli) edamame beans 100 g, shelled spring onions 2, sliced diagonally, including tops fresh coriander 1–2 T chopped, for serving red chilli 1, thinly sliced, for serving lime wedges, for serving For the hoisin dressing: hoisin sauce 2 T fresh chilli 1 t chopped fresh ginger 1 t grated honey 1 t sesame oil 1 T soya sauce 1 T lime juice, lemon juice…

DO FREEZE WHOLE FRUIT: You can freeze whole fruit such as plums, peaches, or bunches of grapes. Wash and thoroughly dry the fruit. Prevent them from sticking together by placing the fruit on baking paper on a baking tray to freeze, then transfer the individually frozen fruit to freezer bags. Use in smoothies or baking. PASTA, RICE AND OTHER GRAINS: Freeze cooked rice and grains (buckwheat, barley, quinoa) as soon as possible after they have cooled in individual portion-sized bags. Quickly defrost in the microwave before using. SANDWICHES: Line a baking tray with baking paper and arrange cheese-and-ham (no mayo or tomato) or peanut butter-and-jam sandwiches on it. Freeze the sandwiches before placing them into freezer bags to pop into lunchboxes. They’ll be defrosted and fresh by break time. DON’T…

ORECCHIETTE Its name means “little ears” in Italian because of its round, cup-like shape. That, plus its ridged texture, makes this shape ideal for catching chunky sauces and small pieces of sautéed vegetables. R43.99 for 500 g ORGANIC SPELT FUSILLI The spiral shape of this short pasta makes it perfect for trapping both creamy and meat-based sauces. The Felicetti family makes this one for Woolies using 100% spelt semolina pasta, which has a rich and earthy flavour. R109.99 for 500 g RIGATONI A bronze die-cut short pasta made in the Italian Alps, it’s a great vehicle for a substantial meaty sauce that’ll cling to –and fill up – the ridged tubes (they’re larger and wider than penne). R64.99 for 500 g SPAGHETTI Also bronze die-cut (meaning it’s extruded through a…

“Use those microwaveable baby potatoes to save time and flake the fish while they cook” MONDAY’S FUSS-FREE FISH FISH CAKES WITH WATERMELON SALSA “These fish cakes really go a long way. Time-saving tip: use Woolies’ microwaveable baby potatoes to make a quick mash.” Serves 4 EASY Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking: 15 minutes Woolworths baby potatoes with garlic-and herb-butter 700 g Woolworths hot-smoked snoek 2 x 200 g packs lemon 1, zested and juiced Italian parsley 2 t chopped sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste flour 100 g olive oil 2 T For the watermelon salsa: Woolworths prepared watermelon 1 x 350 g tub red chillies 2, sliced olive oil 1 T limes 2, juiced sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 Microwave the potatoes…

BAKERY ◻ Portuguese rolls FOOD CUPBOARD ◻ Almond milk ◻ Anchovies ◻ Asian coconut palm sugar ◻ Asian tamarind paste ◻ Basil pesto ◻ Basmati rice ◻ Beef stock ◻ Bicarbonate of soda ◻ Blanched almonds ◻ Blanched hazelnuts ◻ Brandy ◻ Breadcrumbs ◻ Caperberries ◻ Capers ◻ Caster sugar ◻ Canned chickpeas ◻ Chunky strawberry jam ◻ Chutney ◻ Coconut milk ◻ Coconut oil ◻ Condensed milk ◻ Dark chocolate ◻ Desiccated coconut ◻ Dijon mustard ◻ Green olives ◻ Haricot beans (canned) ◻ Harissa paste ◻ Hazelnuts ◻ Hoisin sauce ◻ Icing sugar ◻ Lazy Kettle hickory smoke extract (or use smoked paprika) ◻ Light meat tuna chunks in brine ◻ Maple syrup ◻ Mustard powder ◻ Nocellara Di Castelvetrano olives ◻ Olive oil ◻ Orecchiette pasta ◻…

I would like to thank you all for the Christmas 2019 issue. I have bought every issue of TASTE since it first came out and this Christmas made it the best ever. I went no further than page 34. From the prawn cocktail starter to the stuffed sirloin on the bone with the cauliflower and pine-nut salad, the Brussels sprouts, anchovy-and-Parmesan salad (see far right), to duck fat potatoes (not in this issue). Dessert was the cherry tart and Woolworths vanilla ice cream – I forgot to take a photo of the cherry tart (I think it was eaten too quickly)! I have posted photos on the TASTE Recipe Club group on Facebook. DEBBIE WINS A BOTTLE OF WHITLEY NEILL ORIGINAL GIN, SIX BOTTLES OF LAMB & WATT TONIC AND…

BLACK, GREEN AND WHITE PEPPERCORNS The most widely traded spice in the world originally comes from Kerala in south India. Black peppercorns are the cooked, dried unripe fruit of the pepper plant, green peppercorns are the dried, unripe fruit of the same flowering vine, while white pepper comes from the ripe seeds. Always grind whole peppercorns just before serving food (salad or steak, for example). Or add whole to sauces, marinades, soups and stocks at the start of the cooking process to add gentle flavour. PINK PEPPERCORNS These dried berries of the Peruvian pepper and Brazilian pepper trees have a sweet-peppery flavour that works well in pickling liquids, flavoured butters, as a garnish for a gin and tonic, or with dark chocolate. SZECHUAN PEPPERCORNS Produced in China’s Szechaun province, these…

BALENI SALT is harvested in Limpopo according to Tsonga tradition. baleni.co.za KHOISAN SALT comes from the brine of an underground seawater lake. khoisansalt.co.za MASTERSTOCK makes salts flavoured with herbs and flowers. masterstock.co.za ORYX DESERT SALT is harvested in the Kalahari. oryxdesertsalt.co.za THE REALLY INTERESTING FOOD COMPANY stocks salts from around the world. thereallyinterestingfoodcompany.com…

RED WINE VINEGAR “I find red wine vinegar much less acidic than balsamic in a vinaigrette. If you do a little research, you’ll find this is the vinegar you should be using in a dressing.” R22.99 for 250 ml PITTED GREEN OLIVES WITH CHILLI “I’ve fallen hard for these deliciously plump green olives, which are bathed in olive oil and a little chilli. I keep a stash handy for adding to salads and pasta dishes.” R33.99 for 70 g FUSILLI PASTA “This pasta is bronze-die cut, which means that its surface is slightly rougher than other pasta, allowing sauces to cling to it more ardently. It’s also great in a tuna salad.” R27.99 for 500 g CARB CLEVER SEEDED CRACKERS “These are really delicious, very seedy with a hint of…

It’s been just on a year since Katlego Mlambo left Cape Town to take over from Vusi Ndlovu as head chef of The Marabi Club in Joburg. Armed with endless ideas and fresh inspiration, he jumped into the job ready to shake things up and take the restaurant – loved by Joburgers for its superb food and live music – to even greater heights. Katlego’s inaugural year, while rewarding, hasn’t been without its challenges. “It’s difficult stepping in as a head chef,” he says, “You’ve got different rules, new standards and it can take some people a little while to get onboard.” Tough times, however, result in tough people and he says that a little patience paid off. “I’ve got people here I would go to war for; we’ve all…

1 Bouquet “Tropical aromas, whiffs of green pepper and fynbos with flintiness and an attractive minerality, complemented by gooseberry tones and a crisp finish.” Cue extensive eye-rolling. We’ve all heard similar descriptions at tasting rooms and dinner parties and wondered exactly what those people were drinking. It’s just a simple matter of wine in the glass, grape on the nose, alcohol on the palate, right? Wrong. And please hear us out – the more wine you drink, the more you will start to detect familiar aromas and flavours – vanilla, tropical fruit, blackberries. And that’s not because winemakers are secretly adding the ingredients to their barrels or bottles. Everything from the composition of the soil in which the vines grow, to the pollen from plants growing around the vineyard –…

1 For a whimsical meal and great coffee: THE GRAND EXOTIC This Dolphin Coast hidden gem, which has quickly become popular as an events and wedding venue, is brought to you by the former owners of Antique Café, Sarah Owen and Curt Wolf. The magical venue, featuring old carved doors, antique trinkets and a fuchsia- and teal-hued exterior, is inspired by Sarah’s travels and would fit right in on the set of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. What to order? Single-origin coffee, tea served in silver teapots, and hot home-made scones are the drawcards here, but expect a plethora of colourful café eats served on dainty floral crockery. Sheffield Beach Road, Salt Rock; thegrandexotic.com 2 For a filling harvest lunch: SHOOTS AND LEAVES This day-time eatery, run by chef-owners Rob…

“This is how to breathe new life into your offcuts and cheeseboard leftovers” JAMMY ROAST CHICKEN “Roast chicken is the ultimate chuck-in-the-oven-and-forget dish. Now try basting it in whatever leftover jams or chutney dregs are taking up space in the fridge. It's next level." Serves 2 to 4 EASY GREAT VALUE Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 1½ hours free-range whole chicken 1 jam or chutney ½ cup (we used smooth apricot jam and fig jam) olive oil 4 T salt, to taste red peppers 3, halved 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C. Cover the chicken in the jam, drizzle with olive oil and season lightly. 2 Place the chicken on a roasting grid with an oven tray underneath so that it will roast evenly. 3 Place the red peppers on a…

ULTIMATE BUTTERMILK KFC CHICKEN WITH AMASI SLAW WAFFLES “The great thing about this recipe is that a lot of it can be made ahead, or at least with the help of your children or friends who have come over for dinner. My greatest secret to cooking for friends is to cook with them!” Serves 4 EASY GREAT VALUE Preparation: 40 minutes Cooking: 20 minutes For the chicken:  free-range chicken breasts 4 buttermilk 1 cup paprika 3 T cayenne pepper 1 T ground cumin 1 T salt 1–2 T flour 200 g oil, for frying For the waffles: butter 80 g Woolworths maas milk 1 cup free-range eggs 3, separated self-raising flour 250 g bicarbonate of soda 1 t salt 1 t chives 2 t finely chopped For the amasi slaw,…

Author and TV show host Sarah Graham (sarahgraham.co.za) describes her new cookbook as a celebration of vegetables and their humble friends: fruit, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, legumes and pulses. “I hope this will be a companion for eating more close-to-the-Earth and carefully grown, seasonal plant-based food,” she says. Super Natural features more than 130 plant-based recipes and plenty of tips, including how to sprout beans at home and a handy basics guide for DIY dips, spice mixes, plant-based milks, sauces and dressings. To stand a chance to win one of three copies of Super Natural (Struik Lifestyle, R320), visit taste.co.za.…

FROZEN ALL-BUTTER PUFF PASTRY SHEETS Your answer to quick savoury pies and fruit tarts. Remember to thaw before use. To test its readiness, gently press the tip of your finger into the middle of a sheet – an indentation means it’s ready to use. R57.99 for 2 x 250 g sheets FRESHLY FROZEN HAKE FILLETS Each fillet is individually wrapped for convenience. Woolies’ freshly frozen hake fillets come from well-managed, sustainable fisheries and are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. R107.99 for 600 g FRESHLY FROZEN SUMMER BERRIES Keep these bags of strawberries, cherries, blackberries and raspberries on hand for smoothies, muffin or cake batters (some might need the berries to be defrosted first), and use to make fruit crumbles. R49.99 for 350 g FROZEN CRISPY POTATO RÖSTIS Made with…

Rain,far too much of it, diverted my planned Laos trip to Sri Lanka a week before I departed. That’s how I learnt, ten years ago, that spontaneity and travel insurance are a solo traveller’s superpowers. For the next decade, I was tantalised by the tales of others who had been to Laos and loved it. I dreamed of swimming in the Mekong River and imagined scootering across the 450 km-long karst landscapes of Thakhek Loop. There were mountains to climb in Nong Khiaw, monasteries to tiptoe through in Luang Prabang, and taste buds to satiate with warm khao nom kok coconut cakes served on banana leaves at roadside markets. Last year I did it all. Finally! My aim on this long-awaited trip was total culinary and cultural immersion – cue…

Step 1: Go to your app store and download a QR code reader to your smartphone. Step 2: Hold your phone over the QR code on the recipe photo and you’ll be directed to the Woolies website where you’ll find all the ingredients for that recipe listed. Step 3: Click on the plus sign to add each ingredient you need to your basket. Step 4: If you want to cook the other recipes too, scan the next QR code. The ingredients will be listed and can be added to those already in your basket. Step 5: Go to the checkout. You may be prompted to log in and select a delivery area. Choose your time slot and pay! That’s it!…