For an ode to the traditional, cook rice pudding along with ⅓ cup raisins. 

Serves 4 

Ingredients  

¼ cup Cremora powder
2 cups milk
2 cups leftover cooked white rice
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup brown sugar + extra for serving
2 Tbsp (30g) butter + extra for serving
2 tsp vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling 

 Method   

1. Place Cremora in a pot and stream in milk while whisking, to create a lump-free mixture. Place over medium heat.
2. Stir in rice, salt, sugar and butter.
3. Cook for 12-15 minutes, or until thick and saucy, stirring regularly.
4. Remove from heat and stir through the vanilla.
5. Divide rice pudding among four serving bowls and top with a scattering of brown sugar, cinnamon. 

Craving more Cremora? Check out our Cinnamon and White Chocolate Cremora Tart recipe.  

Recipe & Styling: Sjaan Van der Ploeg 
Photography: Zhann Solomons  

The post Cremora rice pudding   appeared first on MyKitchen.

From the punchy freshness of chimichurri to the fiery kick of zhoug and the zing of Italian Salsa Verde, these flavour-packed sauces are just the thing to take your everyday meals up a notch. 

Chimichurri 

Increase or decrease the amount of olive oil to reach your desired sauce consistency, or blitz in a blender to create a completely smooth sauce. 

 Method 

1. Finely chop 1 cup (30g) parsley, 3 garlic cloves and 1 Tbsp oregano leaves and add to a bowl with ½ tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp milled pepper. Stir everything together.
2. Add ¼ cup red wine vinegar and ⅓ cup olive oil and stir to combine. Serve.

Cook’s Note  

An Argentinian favourite, chimichurri sings on top of steak or on eggs, or swirled through grains like couscous, bulgur wheat and rice. 

Zhoug (Yemen Green Chilli Sauce) 

A vibrant blend of fresh herbs with a kick from the chillies, hum from the spices and purr from the smooth olive oil. 

Method   

1. Add 30g coriander and 30g parsley to a food processor along with 2 cloves of garlic, 6 deseeded and chopped jalapeños, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp ground cardamom and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Blitz everything until finely chopped.
2. Add ½ cup olive oil in portions, pulsing in between to emulsify the mixture. Season to taste.

Italian Salsa Verde 

Spoon this zingy sauce over roasted vegetables, add to pasta, or serve on top of a rich red meat to cut through the fat. 

Method  

1. Use a fork or back of a knife to mash together 2 chopped anchovy fillets, 1 Tbsp chopped capers and 1 clove grated garlic in a bowl.
2. Add 1 cup (30g) finely chopped parsley, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar and the juice and zest of 1 lemon. Stir together.
3. Slowly drizzle in ⅔ cup olive oil while whisking to create an emulsion. Season with salt and milled pepper.

 Also Read: Use these home-made sauces for quick meals on a budget

Recipe & Styling: Sjaan Van der Ploeg 
Photographs: Zhann Solomons  

The post Sauces to elevate your meals   appeared first on MyKitchen.

This is sure to become your go-to baste. Lather over potatoes, braai chops or toast, or use as your pasta sauce flavour base. Refrigerate and use within a week, or freeze for up to one month. 

Makes ½ cup 

Ingredients  

For the cowboy butter: 

2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 Tbsp finely chopped chives
1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¾ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup butter, at room temperature
Salt and milled pepper 

For serving: 

2 sirloin steaks, cooked to preference 

Method  

1. Mix everything (except for the salt and pepper) well in a bowl, then season to taste.
2. Lay 3 same-sized pieces of clingwrap on top of each other on a work surface.
3. Spoon butter into a log shape on one long edge of the clingwrap, a few centimetres from the edge.
4. Roll clingwrap over butter to encase, then roll until you reach the opposite edge.
5. Twist the short edges on either side of the log tightly to seal. Tie a knot on each twist. Refrigerate butter until cold.
6. To serve, unwrap butter, slice into rounds and dot on top of hot steak or burgers. The butter will melt in the residual heat from the meat to form a rich, flavourful sauce.

Top Tip:  

Instead of rolling butter into a log to store, simply spoon it into an air-tight container and spoon from there. 

Recipes & Styling: Sjaan Van der Ploeg
Photography: Zhann Solomos  

The post Supper sorted: Cowboy butter with perfectly cooked steak   appeared first on MyKitchen.

We’ve seen these crispy little Indian shells, traditionally used to make Pani Puri, taking over our TikTok feeds. With endless variations, depending on region and the chaat snack being made, we had to learn more and try making them ourselves.  

 WHAT IS PANI PURI?  

Pani Puri is a popular street food or chaat snack that originates in India. (Other types of chaat include samoosa, aloo tikka and vada pav.) Pani means water in Hindi and Puri is flatbread, which in this case is fried until crispy. 

This fabulously fun dish consists of three parts: 

1. Crispy-fried hollow shells (recipe below)
2. Filling (often using ingredients like potatoes, chickpeas or chutney)
3. Flavoured water (you can think of this as a savoury tea or broth, for lack of a better word)

 Served together on a plate, the small shells fit in the palm of your hand and are eaten in a single bite. Each guest can assemble their own as they eat by cracking open the top of the shell with their fingertips, adding filling inside and then scooping up the flavoured water inside the shell.  

 There are many different flavour variants, with each region making their own version – some spicier, some sweeter, some topped with egg. Thanks to TikTok, the snack stepped out of its traditional setting and people have come up with inventive ways to change up the street food snack.  

Did You Know: 

Puri is an Indian flatbread. Similar to a roti, it is served as a side next to a main course, however this flatbread is deep-fried to create a crispy, bubbled outside and chewy inside. While it is also deep-fired and puffs up, it should not be confused with the puri shells made below. (You can watch local foodie Denisiya make the flatbread on TikTok here.)  

 MAKING GOLDEN PANI PURI SHELLS 

Ingredients:  

¼ cup (60ml) cake flour
1 cups (500ml) semolina
¼ tsp (1.25ml) baking powder
½ tsp fine salt
125-150ml water
2-3 cups sunflower or canola oil, for frying

Method: 

1. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, mixing to distribute evenly.  
2. Start adding water in a thin stream while mixing well with your hand. Add just enough water for the dough to come together. 
3. Once dough comes together in a ball, turn it out on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes until smooth. Cover and leave for 15 minutes to rest. (Letting it rest at this stage prevents the dough from springing back after rolling out.)  
4. Divide dough into 4 portions. Roll each portion out to about 1mm thin, or paper-thin. Cut out 5cm circles using a cookie cutter. 
5. Heat oil until shimmering hot. To test if it is hot enough, drop a pinch of dough into the oil. If it immediately starts bubbling, it is ready to fry.  
6. Add 3-4 discs at a time and deep-fry for about 30-45 seconds, spooning hot oil over the top of the discs to encourage pudding up. (If it doesn’t immediately start to puff up, your dough was likely not rolled thing enough.) 
7. Turn the partially inflated or puffed discs over and continue frying until golden all around.  
8. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Continue with the remainder of the dough.  
9. Serve hot for best result as part of a spread with fillings such as curried potato and flavoured water    

Good Idea:   

You can also make the shells in the airfyer. Brush with oil and air-fry for 4 minutes at 180°C. See the result here on TikTok. 

Recipe & Styling: Liezl Vermeulen

Photographs: Zhann Solomons

The post Pani Puri: What is it and how to make it at home appeared first on MyKitchen.

 For extra flavour, sprinkle a layer of sugar onto each slice of banana and toast with a kitchen torch to brûlée, then top with whipped cream. 

 Makes 1x 25cm tart 

 Ingredients  

1½ packets (200g each)
Eet-Sum-Mor biscuits
¾ cup (150g) melted butter 

For the caramel: 

1 cup (250g) butter
1 cup (200g) treacle sugar, tightly packed
2 cans (385g each) condensed milk
2 tsp (10ml) sea salt
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla 

 For the topping: 

3 ripe bananas, sliced
2 cups (500ml) whipping cream
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla paste
½ slab (40g) dark chocolate 

Method   

1. Line the base of a 25cm fluted tart tin with baking paper. Spray the sides with cooking spray. Blitz biscuits in a food processor to a fine crumb. Alternatively, place in a resealable bag and crush with a rolling pin.  
2. Mix crumbs and butter together. Press into the base of prepared tin, lining sides with crumbs too. Refrigerate.
3. For the caramel, place butter and sugar in a large pot over medium heat. Melt, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the butter is golden, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the condensed milk and stir through. Cook while continuously stirring until thickened and a light caramel colour, about 4 minutes. (Be sure to constantly scrape the bottom of the pan when stirring to prevent burning.)
5. Pour caramel into a heatproof bowl. Stir through salt and vanilla. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
6. Pour caramel onto the biscuit base and smooth over, then refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
7. Slice bananas at a slight diagonal angle into 0.5-1cm pieces. Arrange banana slices on top of cooled caramel, creating two layers.
8. Whip cream and vanilla together to stiff peaks.
9. Dollop cream on top of banana layers. Hold chocolate bar over the tart and use a vegetable peeler to “peel” chocolate into curls, letting them fall onto the cream before serving. 

Recipe & Styling: Sjaan Van der Ploeg 
Photography: Zhann Solomons  

The post Retro eats: Banoffee pie   appeared first on MyKitchen.

Nostalgic home-made birthday cakes are making a comeback, and we are totally here for it! They’re more affordable and, in our opinion, much more fun than the store-bought variety. Here’s how to make two sporty cakes from scratch using a sheet tray or two round cakes. It’s a hole-in-one, if you ask us.   

S-SHAPE DIRTBAKE CAKE 

BAKE

Ingredients: 

1 (800g) chocolate box cake mix
2 cups (500g) butter, at room temperature
8 cups (1kg) icing sugar, sifted
3-4 Tbsp (45-60ml) milk
Yellow, blue and green food colouring
2 cups (170g) desiccated coconut

For the cake bushes: 

2 Tbsp (30ml) sugar
2 Tbsp (30ml) melted butter
1 egg, whisked
½ tsp vanilla essence
⅓ cup (50g) flour
¼ tsp (1.5ml) baking powder
2 Tbsp (30ml) milk

For decorating: 

½ packet (100g) chocolate sandwich cookies, roughly chopped
1 packet (60g) chocolate-covered raisins
Star piping nozzle, piping bag and a toy dirt bike, to decorate

Method: 

1. Grease the base and sides of two round 20cm cake tins. Line the bases with baking paper. 
2. Prepare and bake cakes according to packet instructions, adding any extra ingredients called for. Cool completely. 
3. Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat for 30 seconds, until light. 
4. Add icing sugar and beat on low until the mixture forms crumbs. Increase speed and beat into a fluffy, light buttercream for about 3 minutes. (Scrape the sides of the bowl down occasionally.)  
5. Add milk and beat through to achieve a smooth, pipeable consistency. Then add drops of yellow and blue food colouring to achieve a dark green colour. Set aside. 
6. Add coconut and a generous drop of green food colouring to a bowl. Rub coconut together to saturate it with colour. 
7. For the cake bushes, whisk together the sugar and butter in a bowl for 1 minute. Add egg and vanilla and whisk through to combine. Add the flour and baking powder and stir through, then whisk through the milk. 
8. Colour the batter a light green, using yellow and blue food colouring to achieve the shade. 
9. Microwave for 60-80 seconds, until cooked and risen. Set aside to cool completely. Tear into rough chunks to make the bushes. Set aside.  

SHAPE 

Step 1  

 Align the two cakes vertically on a tray or serving platter, positioning one directly above the other. Use a 5cm round cookie cutter (or use a cooldrink glass if you don’t have a cutter) to cut out a ring from the centre of each cake.  

Step 2  

Using a knife, cut out about quarters slice out of each cake. Set aside the off-cut cake. 

Step 3  

Arrange rings together on a serving platter to form an ‘S’, turning the cakes carefully as needed. (You may need to cut away a little excess to make it fit perfectly.)  

DECORATE 

Method: 

1. Cover the entire cake with the green buttercream, saving a portion for the piped trees. 
2. Crumble the cake cutouts into small crumbs and sprinkle along the shape of the cake to create a bike ‘track’.
3. Place cake ‘bushes’, crushed cookies and chocolate-covered raisins along the side of the bike track. 
4. Scoop the remaining buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe trees along the cake. Pipe three blobs on top of each other, ranging from biggest to smallest, to make a tree.
5. Scatter green coconut ‘grass’ around the cake to finish. 
6. As an optional final touch, put a dirt bike toy next to the cake – ready to hit the track! 

 NUMBER 4 GOLF COURSE CAKE 

 BAKE 

Ingredients: 

 1 (800g) vanilla box cake mix
2 cups (500g) butter, at room temperature
8 cups (1kg) icing sugar, sifted
3-4 Tbsp (45-60ml) milk
Yellow, blue and green food colouring
½ packet (100g) Eet-Sum-More biscuits
Ateco piping nozzle 234 (for the grass) and piping bag (optional)
Blue paper, white plastic lolly stick and red paper, to decorate

Method: 

1. Grease and line a 20x30cm sheet tray.
2. Prepare and bake cake according to packet instructions, adding any extra ingredients the recipe calls for. Cool completely.
3. Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat for 30 seconds or until light.
4. Add icing sugar and beat on low until the mixture forms crumbs. Increase speed and beat into a fluffy, light buttercream, about 3 minutes. (Scrape down the sides of the bowl down occasionally.) Add milk and beat through to achieve a smooth, pipeable consistency.
5. Scoop ¾ cup icing into a separate bowl and use yellow and blue food colouring to create a light green colour, adding a small drop of each at a time and mixing until the desired colour is reached.
6. Colour the remaining buttercream a dark green, combining the blue, yellow and green colours until the desired shade is reached.

 SHAPE 

Step 1  

Place the cake on a tray or serving platter, with the short side facing you. Slice into three equally rectangles, cutting down vertically.  

Step 2   

 Cut out two squares and a smaller rectangle from the second rectangle.  

Step 3: 

 For the final slice, cut both short ends off diagonally last rectangle looking like a pyramid. 

Step 4: 

To assemble: 

Transfer the long rectangle (A) to your serving platter.  

Place the smaller rectangle (B) on the inner side of the large rectangle.  

Place square (C) on the bottom right-hand side of large rectangle to create the outside edge of the four-shape.  

Place pyramid shape (D) diagonally across to connect the four-shape together. Fill up any gaps with cake offcuts. 

DECORATE 

Method:

1. Use scissors to cut out a shape from the blue paper for the water hazard. Arrange on the cake.
2. Add the lighter green buttercream to three different spots on cake, shaping into funky rounds to create the golf course. Use a spatula to smooth out the surface.
3. Using the crumbled biscuits, add some ‘sand’ to the sides of the light green patches.
4. Scoop the dark green icing into a piping bag fitted with the grass nozzle. Squeeze icing through the nozzle, swirling, blotting and dolloping to make the ‘grass’, covering the remainder of the cake.
5. Cut out a small triangle from red paper and secure to a lolly stick using sticky tape. Insert your ‘flag’ somewhere in a light green section on the cake. 
6. Add a white round sprinkle for the golf ball and you’re all set. Tee off with candles and serve.

Recipes & Styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photographs: Zhann Solomons

The post Nostalgic kids’ birthday cakes: A step-by-step guide  appeared first on MyKitchen.