Editor Chad January sits down with renowned cookbook author and TV show host Sarah Graham to discuss how to live life better through good food.
HOW DID GROWING UP ON A FARM IN ZIMBABWE IMPACT YOUR FOOD PHILOSOPHY?
The farm life is a simple one. The milk came from next door and the meat and veggies came from our farm, or from one just down the road.
Very little food was wasted. My mom was one of those farmer’s wives that is exceptionally skilled at transforming simple ingredients into the most extraordinary feasts of comfort food – even though our family was huge! This food makes your heart happy, and that is the kind of food I still love to cook.
Recently, I’ve created a lot more plant-based recipes as part of my own wellness journey. I live in Noordhoek with my husband and daughters and we are trying to live off the land more – we are busy building a vegetable garden and cooking seasonally. I feel like I’m coming back to my roots.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO START A FOOD BLOG?
I came across the Smitten Kitchen blog while I was working in marketing and it really inspired me. I have always loved food and words equally, so I thought it was amazing that writing a blog could bring these two things together.
You didn’t need permission to put your words out there – you could click just a few buttons and there it was. I loved sharing not just recipes, but also food stories. I really had no plan for it! I just loved the process. After a year, a friend suggested I compile these chatty recipes into a cookbook.
I sent a proposal to Penguin and I ended up with the contract for my first book in 2011. I had to produce 100 recipes in three months – while working fulltime and pregnant! It was quite a whirlwind, but I loved every moment of it.
HOW DID YOU MOVE FROM WRITING TO HOSTING YOUR OWN FOOD TRAVEL SHOW?
A TV show was never on the cards! Soon after my first book, my cousin and I filmed a pilot for a TV show as a bit of a laugh. We connected with Okuhle Media, they loved the concept and soon we were filming Food Safari.
It has been aired in over 40 countries and the two seasons were crazy fun to do. I haven’t filmed anything new lately because of the pandemic, moving to Cape Town and focusing on raising my daughters. I would love to do it again in the future, though!
HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE DEMANDS OF WORK AND FAMILY LIFE?
I definitely haven’t always got it right, and I’ve learnt some tough lessons along the way. Maybe it’s getting older, but I’ve realised that being flat-out busy isn’t the definition of success.
Taking a step back so that we have more capacity for ourselves and our family isn’t the easy way out, but the smart way out. I’ve had to become more comfortable with living life a little more slowly and finding the joy in the everyday, rather than trying to constantly overachieve on every level.
So, I still manage my brand and love my work but I am also acutely aware of aiming for a healthy pace of life.
ARE YOUR DAUGHTERS AS INTERESTED IN COOKING AS YOU ARE?
There is a lot of baking going on at this stage, which I love – despite how messy it is! I try and indulge their creativity in the kitchen as much as I can and they are definitely very comfortable in that space.
So let’s see where it takes us! They are super fussy eaters, but my eldest is the most adventurous. We eat dinner as a family and we treasure it. And that’s the point of food really – what’s on our plate doesn’t have to be perfect, but it’s a reason to come together.
Happy Life Noodle Bowls
Serves 2 • Ready In 15 Min
What You Need
150g egg noodles or brown rice noodles
1 Tbsp olive oil
250g mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
100g edamame beans
100g tenderstem broccoli
Salt and black pepper, to taste
FOR THE SAUCE
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1–2 Tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
TO SERVE
Chopped fresh coriander
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds or small handful roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts
Method
- Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and set aside.
- Add the olive oil to a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and fry for 8–10 minutes, or until golden. Stir through the edamame beans and broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then turn off the heat.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce and adjust to taste.
- Divide the noodles between 2 serving bowls and top with the greens and mushrooms. Drizzle over the sauce and any optional garnishes, and enjoy.
Notes:
I usually buy frozen edamame beans. When needed, I take out a handful or two and cover with boiling water for a couple of minutes, before shelling and adding to the dish at the last minute. Add cubes of flash-fried tofu for some delicious extra protein.
Quick Fire Questions
1. What is your go-to dish to feed a family of five in a hurry?
If I don’t have any frozen leftovers on hand, then a simple frittata is always a safe option. I load it with broccoli, courgettes and a handful of grated cheese – it’s filling and fuss-free.
2. If you could cook for anyone in the world, who would it be?
All my grandparents.
3. Which cooking blunder still haunts you?
It took me three tries to make a quick jar of mayo on stage at the Good Food and Wine Show a few years ago – that was after I’d sold the crowd the idea of ‘the world’s speediest, easiest mayo’. We got there eventually!
Good + Simple (R390, Penguin Random House) is available at all good bookstores.
Photography: Supplied
