Get clued up on this month’s top tips and tricks from the MyKitchen team

Nutty for nuts!

What is granola without almonds, carrot cake without pecans or  pad thai without peanuts? Using nuts in your food not only adds extra flavour, but also an exciting layer of textural crunch. To get the most out of raw nuts, make sure to roast them. This enhances their flavour tenfold, giving them much more value in whatever you’re creating. To roast them, spread out your nuts evenly on a baking tray and place in a 180ºC oven for 10 min until they smell toasty. Let them cool, then store in a jar or container. For long-term storage, freeze nuts in a sealable bag. 

The Easiest Way To Deseed A Chilli

To take the spicy bite out of fresh chillies, you need to remove the seeds and white membrane. To easily deseed a chilli without the fear of getting the spiciness all over your hands (and in your eyes!), chop off the stalk and roll the chilli between your hands over a bowl to dislodge the seeds. Firmly tap the chilli to knock out any stubborn seeds, then chop up for your meal

Using Up Your Leftover Broccoli and Cauliflower Stems

More often than not, we cut the florets off heads of broccoli and cauliflower and toss the remaining stem. Here are some ideas to give the stems a place in your cooking:

• REMOVE the woody, outer layer to reveal the tender core, if necessary.
• BAKE into fritters, frittatas or quiches
• GRATE into coleslaws and salads
• BLITZ into home-made pesto
• SLICE into thin discs and cook with your florets
• ADD to dishes such as stir-frys, soups, stocks or potato bakes
• FRY in olive oil, garlic, chilli and salt, then toss in pasta or serve as is with your dinner

Understanding thermofans

Ovens with a thermofan setting have a fan with a heating element around it, which creates evenly distributed heat around the oven. This allows you to evenly cook, brown and crisp multiple dishes at once. Thermofan ovens create more intense heat than conventional heating so make sure to reduce the temperature by about  15ºC when using it. By cooking at a slightly lower temperature compared to conventional heating, meats dishes are kept more succulent. A thermofan oven is ideal for things that bake quickly at higher temperatures or require drying, such as choux pastry and rusks. However, it should not be used for items that need to be baked longer at lower temperatures, such as cakes.

The Ultimate Crispy Chicken Skins

Chicken skins are arguably the best part of cooking chicken for dinner, so why not make them the star of the show? Similar in taste to puffed pork belly crackling, crispy chicken skins can be crumbled over dishes, whipped into butter or enjoyed as a tasty snack. To make them, remove the skins from your chicken pieces and lay them out flat on a tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle over a pinch of flakey salt and cover with a second piece of baking paper and another tray. Place in a 180ºC oven for 10–15 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel to remove excess oil and enjoy!

Words by Kirsty Buchanan 
Photography: Courtesy Images

These informative food hacks will help you prevent waste in the kitchen.

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No need to struggle with broken bits of eggshells, stinging eyes as you chop an onion or the hassle of peeling ginger. We’ve revealed a few of our top cooking hacks to make life a little easier!

No More Eggshells!

One of the most frustrating things to happen when baking is getting a piece of eggshell in your bowl and having to chase it around for ages to get it out. To avoid getting shards in your mixing bowl, don’t crack eggs on the side of your bowl, but rather straight on your countertop. Always crack open eggs in a separate bowl first. And if you need to fish out bits of eggshell from your mixture, use one of the eggshell halves to scoop it out – it works like a charm!

How To Peel Ginger

By removing the peel from fresh ginger with a vegetable peeler, or slicing it off with a knife, you often end up cutting away lots of the precious ginger itself.  Our hack: Use a spoon! By using a spoon, you’re able to scrape away all of the peel easily, as well as reach into all the nooks and crannies without sacrificing any ginger. Spoons with thinner edges work best.

Banana Bread In A Flash

Why is it always the case that one often has lots of overripe bananas when you don’t need them, but when you’re craving banana bread, you don’t have any on hand? Overripe bananas are essential for baking as they have a much sweeter flavour and softer texture. To quickly ripen bananas, place them on a lined baking tray in a 150ºC oven for 15–20 minutes – the skins will go black, but the insides will be perfectly softened. Allow to cool before using.

Repurpose Your Pickle Juice

Next time you finish your jar of pickles, don’t throw away the juice. Pickle brine is a great way to add extra depth of flavour to dishes. Use it to make salad dressings or simply reuse it to make your own pickles. It’s a great tenderiser for meat so it works well in a beef marinade. Elevate your fried chicken by adding some pickling liquid to the wet mix when you’re dredging. Pickle brine can also add a delightful zing to potato salad and items such as store-bought barbecue sauce. Pickle juice lends itself to so many applications, so get creative! 

Master The Chop

Dicing onions is one of the first steps in most recipes and is an essential skill to master. To start, slice off the stem end of your onion, leaving the root end intact (this is essential as the root section will hold all the onion petals together as you’re slicing). Slice the onion in half through the root section, then peel off the papery skin. Lay one onion half flat on your chopping board and make vertical slices in the stem-to-root direction, but not cutting all the way through to the root end. Next, carefully make 1–2 horizontal cuts through the onion towards the root end, again not slicing all the way through the root. Now, holding the onion firmly to hold it together, chop it up crosswise and watch your diced pieces magically fall onto your board. Repeat with the other onion half. Store any leftover onion in a ziplock bag in the freezer.

Words by Kirsty Buchanan
Photography: alamy, pexels, shutterstock

If you feel like cooking isn’t for you, or you just get super flustered in the kitchen, these 5 simple hacks will help you!

The post More Cooking Hacks appeared first on MyKitchen.

Our top tips and tricks to help you become a pro cook at home

Make meringues from leftover egg whites

Have leftover egg whites sitting around and not sure what to do with them? Why not whip up some meringues! Meringues are a great, versatile treat to have on hand. Serve them as a last-minute dessert with cream and fresh fruit, use them to decorate cakes, or crumble them over ice cream. Bonus: They can keep for a month at room temperature in an airtight container. All you need to do is weigh the egg whites you want to use, then weigh out twice the amount of caster sugar in a separate bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, whip the egg whites until firm peaks form – you should be able to hold the bowl upside down over your head without anything falling out. Gradually add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, whipping well in between additions. Continue to whip the mixture until the sugar has mostly dissolved (rub a little meringue between your fingers to check). Then dollop or pipe the meringues on a lined baking tray and dry out in the oven at 100C for 2–3 hours, depending on the size of your meringues. You’ll know when they’re done when they have developed a crisp shell, start to turn off-white and peel away easily from the baking paper. 

Get more juice out of a lemon

Start by firmly rolling the lemon on the counter under the palm of your hand. You should feel the lemon become softer. Microwave the whole lemon for 10 seconds (trust the process – this is a beloved trick used by lots of our favourite cooks, including chef and The Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry). Once juiced, you can use the tines of a fork to encourage all the last pockets of juice to release, although you’ll probably find that this isn’t necessary.

Perfect basmati rice every time!

With this guide, you’ll never have to tolerate soggy or mushy basmati rice again! For 3 servings, place 1 cup basmati rice in a pot and add in 1 ½ cups cold tap water, then season. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium- low and cover with a lid. Cook the rice, covered, for 12 minutes (no peeking). Shake the pot occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat and leave the rice to steam with the lid on for 5–10 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and enjoy! 

Words by Kirsty Buchanan
Photography: Pexels 

These informative food hacks will help you prevent waste in the kitchen.

The post Top Tips And Tricks To Help You Become A Pro Cook appeared first on MyKitchen.

Feeling a little lost in the kitchen? No worries, we’ve got you covered with these cooking tips!

1. Tips to save a split ganache 
Ganache is a smooth and glossy emulsification of chocolate and cream. A split ganache can look slimy, oily or grainy and tends to occur when the fats separate from the liquids. There are two main reasons why a ganache splits: overheating and when there isn’t enough liquid in the mixture. If you think your ganache has become too warm, simply mix in room temperature water or low-fat milk a little at a time, mixing well in between additions with a rubber spatula, until the ganache comes back together. If  you completely overheated your ganache in the microwave, then set it aside to cool before whisking vigorously to bring it back together.  In the event that overheating isn’t the issue, then your ganache probably needs a little more liquid. Add in warmed cream a little at a time until the ganache comes back together.

2. A Guide to perfect eggs

Poached
It is important to use the freshest possible eggs so that the whites hold together while cooking. Add 1–2 tbsp white vinegar to a large pot of simmering water. Crack an egg into a ramekin, optionally through a fine mesh strainer to remove the more liquid whites. Use a large spoon to create a whirlpool in the water and carefully tip the egg into the centre of the swirl as it slows down. If you’d like to cook multiple eggs at once, don’t do this step. Cook the eggs for 3–4 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and blot on paper towel. Eggs can be prepared in advance and reheated in the boiling water before serving.

Boiled
Place room temperature eggs in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and keep the water at a gentle boil. Time the eggs from the moment the water boils:
4½–5 min: Runny yolk (perfect for the breakfast dish egg and soldiers
6 min:Soft-boiled (great for salads and ramen)
7–10 min: Hard-boiled (use in sandwich fillings or enjoy as ahealthy snack)

Scrambled
Lightly beat and season eggs – do not add milk as it will make the end result watery. Cook the eggs in foaming butter, pushing them gently around the pan towards the centre as they start to set. Just before the eggs are ready, add in a small knob of butter, or even some crème fraiche for added richness. Remove the pan from the heat while the eggs are still soft and silky – they will continue to firm up in the pan.

Fried
Heat butter or olive oil in a pan until hot, but not smoking. Crack in your egg –the white should start to set immediately. As the egg cooks, spoon the hot oil from the pan over the white to help it cook. Alternatively, pour a little waterin the pan and cover with a lid. For an over-easy egg, flip the egg over and cook for 30 seconds.

3. How to easily peel butternut 

1. Prick the whole butternut all over with a fork and slice off both ends.
2. Place the butternut in a microwaveable dish and microwave for 3½ minutes – this softens the skin, making it easier to peel.
3. Let the butternut cool down enough to handle, or hold with a tea towel, and effortlessly peel away that tough skin using a vegetable peeler or small paring knife.

4. How to crystallise edible flowers
Create beautiful floral decorations for your Easter bakes. Using this simple trick, you can crystallise edible flowers such as violas, rose petals, dianthus and primroses. Lightly whisk 1 egg white until it starts to foam. Working with one flower at a time, use a small, soft paintbrush to carefully brush both sides of the flower with egg white,then sprinkle with castor sugar until completely coated. Then place on a wire rack or a baking tray lined with baking paper and leave to dry at room temperature for 24–48 hours. The flowers will firm up as the egg white dries out. Store them at room temperature in a container lined with baking paper, and the flowers will keep for several months.

5. How to pickle leftover veggies
Have too many veggies in the fridge, or do you need a little something extra for your next dinner? Pickle your veg using this super-easy guide!

For the pickling brine: 
Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup vinegar of your choice to a boil with 1 tbsp salt and 2–3 tbsp sugar. Feel free to add dried herbs or whole spices such as peppercorns, fennel seeds or coriander seeds for extra flavour. Pour the hot pickling brine into a sterilised jar with your prepared veggies – these can be anything from mini cucumbers, carrots, red onions and green beans. Stuff in some smashed garlic or hardy fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme, or add some turmeric or paprika for extra colour. Seal the jar with a lid and cool at room temperature. The flavour of the pickles will improve with age, so try wait at least 2 days before cracking them open.

6. Fresh to dry herb substitution
Fresh and dried herbs each have their own role to play in recipes. However, if you are ever in a pinch and do not have the right dry or fresh herb needed, here’s a good substitution trick to keep in mind. Dry herbs are more potent than fresh ones, so when substituting the one for the other you’ll need a smaller amount of dry herbs. A good rule of thumb is that 1 tbsp fresh herbs = 1 tsp dried herbs. So if a recipe calls for 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh origanum, then you can substitute it with 2 tsp dried origanum instead.

7. Oiling measuring spoons before measuring out honey & syrup
Pro tip: be sure to lightly grease your measuring spoons and cups with cooking spray or oil before measuring out honey, syrup and molasses. The oil helps to release the sticky condiments from the spoons, which means less hassle and less mess!

Words by Kirsty Buchanan

Let’s get down to the root, and dig into why root vegetables are so good for our bodies. Plus, learn the best way to cook with them.

The post Cooking Tips 101 appeared first on MyKitchen.

Rice is a key part of the meal when dining on curry, and many other dishes. So make sure you know which to boil, fluff and serve!

WILD RICE
Serve this when you want to take your dish up a notch. The dark grains have a nutty flavour that will perfectly accompany your curry.

BASMATI RICE
Basmati’s fluffy, dry texture bulks up thinner curries or curried soups and its nutty flavour is the perfect sidekick to those spicy flavours

WHITE RICE
Although not packed with flavour, this should be your go-to option when you make curry for hordes of people. It’s cheap and quick to cook.

JASMINE RICE
This long-grain variety is wonderfully fragrant (reminiscent of popcorn!). The mild flavour and sticky texture pair perfectly with Thai curries.

CURRY HACK Oven-roast your rice! Fill a deep roasting tin with rice and enough water to cover it. Pop it in the oven and let it boil, topping up the water when necessary. Your rice will have an intense nutty flavour. Yum!

Words: Staff writer
Photography: Unsplash

Are you ready to get a little crafty and save some cash at the end of the month? Then here are 5 tricks to help you save cash in the kitchen!

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The One & Only’s themed high tea reminded me of the importance of one of the most basic kitchen staples.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, Table Mountain basking in the glorious Cape Town sun, framed perfectly by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the One & Only’s Vista’s Lounge. It’s quite a sight you’re faced with as you drop down into the plush lounge and settle into one of the tub chairs. 

It wasn’t what I was looking at, though. 

I had my eyes on the high tea buffet table, the five-metre long table covered in varying heights of sweet and savoury delights. I needed to take a closer look, but from the smell, I could tell that the theme for this tea, Spice Route, was going to be a roaring success.  

The selection was pretty, well, spicy, with beautiful spices like cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and cloves incorporated into classic teatime treats, like baked cheesecake, milktart cupcakes, macarons, koeksisters, koesisters, chicken phyllo rolls and empanadas. The addition of one or two spices may seem like a simple act, but what it did to the flavours of a marshmallow (my favourite on the table; I may have gone back for 7) or macaron were anything but simple.

It got me thinking about how we could all be overlooking this simple, easy and affordable way of elevating our food everyday. Every. Day. So here’s my tired-and-tested list of a few things you should most definitely be adding some spice to…   

1. Best sides ready to steal the show

Plain rice? No man! Bland couscous? Never again! Jazz up a side dish easily by adding a few cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick and a clove or two to the pot of water when making your rice, quinoa or couscous.

2. Spinach even your kids will love

Spinach can be amazing, people! Sauté onion until tender, sprinkle with nutmeg, then drop in a few large handfuls of baby spinach leaves. Stir until wilted. (If you’re not shy of cream, stir through some at this point.)

3. The one ingredient lasagne and cannelloni can’t go without

A béchamel sauce (the white sauce made for a lasagne or cannelloni) needs nutmeg. It’s something my mother would do, and it’s something that has become a non-negotiable for me. It’s kind of like salt: it brings all the flavours of your dish together, in your mouth. 

4. Delicious cabbage (it’s possible!)

Cabbage is so affordable, easy to cook, low in calories and high in vitamin K, vitamin C and dietary fibre. BUT, it’s not always something we want to eat, is it? Well, try tossing some toasted cumin seeds through your wilted cabbage. Just try it.    

5. Cheeky chickpeas

Fry a chopped onion in oil, add a teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and cardamom, and stir for two minutes. Add a tin of drained and rinsed chickpeas and a tin of diced tomatoes. Simmer until chickpeas are tender. Boom. Dinner. 

6. Keep it clean

Spices can go off! They lose their pungency, so then you may as be adding some pretty bright-red, flavourless powder to your meals. Keep your spice rack organised. Here’s how.

The post Spice of life appeared first on MyKitchen.