Published on May 22, 2025

From the silky comfort of semolina to smooth, stretchy pounded yam, Lichelle May dives into the centrepiece of any feast  carb-loaded African sides – perfect for soaking up rich sauces and bringing people together.  Ditch the spoon! Some foods are just meant to be broken, torn and moulded by hand to soak up fragrant soups […]

Published on May 20, 2025

See how you can add the bold flavour of African chillies to your meals using local ingredients that match the original taste.  African bird’s eye chillies have long been an essential in kitchens throughout the continent because they are fiery, aromatic, and full of character. These small but potent chillies, which are well-known for their […]

Published on May 16, 2025

We’re going grain crazy and taking a deeper look into ancient grains that are produced and enjoyed throughout the African continent.  Teff   Native to the Ethiopian Highlands, teff is a species of lovegrass that is cultivated for its tiny edible seeds. This cereal grain is also one of the oldest plants to be domesticated by […]

Published on May 7, 2025

A truly African staple, harissa paste is hot and happening – and we’re all about it!  Flames of flavour Harissa paste is a North African condiment celebrated for its depth of flavour and versatility. Traditionally, it is made using Baklouti pepper chillies that have been harvested, strung together and sun-dried for months before being cleaned. […]

Published on May 5, 2025

From the Kalahari to the Sahara, salt is nature’s gift to us so we’re teaching you the tricks of the trade.  Salt was once literally worth its weight in gold, so much so that Roman soldiers were occasionally paid in it, which is how the word “salary” came to be. Even if we don’t use […]

Published on April 15, 2025

Stay ahead with ingredients, recipes and foodie trends, straight from the motherland.  Trendy Tamarind  Tamarind has been on the culinary trend radar for a while, but recently we are seeing the popular ingredient being used more in interesting recipes such as cocktails and desserts.   The tropical fruit known as tamarind comes from the Tamarindus indica […]

Published on April 4, 2025

While most people get stuck on its price tag, few cooks know the rich history, and many struggle to articulate the taste of the tiny, flaming-red thread that is saffron. Editor-in-Chief Liezl Vermeulen shares her amazement (and some confusion) after joining a saffron harvest.  Saffron is steeped in history (and in water before cooking, but […]

Published on November 25, 2024

Who says lentils are just for cosy winter stews? Make lentils the hero of your summer menu with these delicious recipes!  Lentil & aubergine meatballs with pita bread  Serves 4–6 // Prep time 20 minutes // Cooking time 20 minutes   Ingredients   For the meatballs ½ onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, grated 1 brinjal, chopped 1 […]

Published on November 22, 2024

From Habanero to Palermo, we’re diving head first into the sweet and fiery world of peppers and chillies.   South Africa’s local markets are brimming with a variety of peppers that suit all tastes. While peppers and chillies each have a different plant genus, we’ve investigated them as one in this need-to-know comparison. Knowing which peppers […]

Published on September 20, 2024

This Heritage Month, we embrace the abundance of ingredients, flavours and textures from our continent.    Nature’s pantry   Every culture has ingredients essential to their cooking repertoire. Not only do these ingredients hold immense weight in the authentic flavour that they give to dishes, but in history and heritage as well. Some ingredients are more […]