Published on August 18, 2025

What is it about chicken soup that mellows and mends us? Christi Nortier asked three local cooks how they make this universal soother and what it has meant in their life, kitchen and community.  Chicken pho for breakfast, lunch & dinner   Anytime you go into Yen’s Vietnamese Street Food, you’ll find a huge pot […]

Published on August 15, 2025

Sip on this refreshing berry and thyme fizz, sweetened to perfection with Selati castor sugar, for a delightful burst of flavour in every sparkling sip.  Berry and thyme fizz  Serves 8   Every sip sparkles in this berry and thyme fizz, made to dazzle with a Selati Castor Snow syrup.   Ingredients  For the berry syrup:   2 […]

Published on August 14, 2025

The latest craze in the MK Test Kitchen is hot pots. We explore the vibrant, flavourful world of this cooking style, reviewing Asian-inspired dishes to learn about all their distinctive components.  Did you know? The Sichuan province in southwest China is where the Sichuan hot pot first originated. People used to congregate around a simmering […]

Published on August 14, 2025

Some ingredients are so strong that adding a mere pinch results in a pretty explosive bite! Sjaan van der Ploeg highlights her favourites —and they all pack a mighty punch.  Brown butter PB & J cookies   Makes 12-14 cookies   The addition of lemon juice stops the butter from over browning as well as burning.  […]

Published on August 12, 2025

Airy, smooth buttercream is contrasted with crisp brandy snaps – with a lace-like design – and crunchy popcorn. This cake sets the scene for an unforgettably bold party!  Caramel crunch cake recipe  Serves 14-16 Ingredients 3 boxes (500g each) Ina Paarman chocolate cake mix (+ ingredients listed on the box)  2 cans (385g each) caramel […]

Published on August 11, 2025

A grown-up delight that takes this cool American treat to new heights. Beetroot & berry burst pop tarts Makes 10 Ingredients For the jam filling  200g mixed frozen berries ¾ cup beetroot juice  ¾ cup sugar  1 lime, zested and juiced  2 rolls (400g each) short crust pastry, defrosted Flour, for dusting 1 egg, whisked, […]

Published on August 8, 2025

The key to the crispiest crackling is leaving the pork uncovered to dry out overnight. Don’t be afraid of the high temperature— it’s crucial to get that bubbly crackling texture.  Fennel-seed crackling clementine roasted pork belly Serves 6 Ingredients 1.5kg pork belly on the bone 1 cup coarse rock salt 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted […]

Published on August 7, 2025

Although we baked our puddings in individual bowls, you can bake them in a large oval or rectangular dish for the same amount of time.  Bread and butter pudding with berry compote  Serves 5 Ingredients 3 eggs, whisked 1 cup (220g) caster sugar 1 tsp (5ml) salt 2 cups (500ml) milk 1 cup (250ml) cream […]

Published on August 6, 2025

Enjoy as a snack plate or serve as a meal for two with a side of stir-fry veg and egg fried rice.  Bang bang chicken pops  Serves 4 (as a snack) Ingredients 500g deboned chicken thighs Salt and milled pepper 1 tsp chilli flakes  1 Tbsp paprika  1 tsp garlic powder (or use ½ tsp […]

Published on August 2, 2025

These burgers are stacked with two patties, but you can play it safe and save with a single patty. Don’t hold back on the moreish sauce, though! Stacked burger with blue cheese sauce Makes 4 Ingredients  For the blue cheese sauce   50g blue cheese, crumbled  ½ cup sour cream 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Milled […]