The mince almost caramelises by rendering out the fat while cooking in the lip-smacking sauce. The golden rule is to never overcrowd your pan. 

Asian mushroom & mince stir-fry

Serves 3-4 

Ingredients

3 Tbsp canola oil
300g mixed mushrooms
150g pork mince or pork sausage meat
400g beef mince
Salt and milled pepper
2 tsp grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 Thai red chillies, deseeded and sliced (optional)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
Lemon juice to taste (lime works well, too)
1 cup sliced Swiss chard (or pak choi)
Rice noodles (or rice), for serving
Spring onions and coriander, to garnish

Method

1.  Heat a small drizzle of oil in a hot pan over high heat until almost smoking.
2.  Add mushrooms in 2-3 batches and fry, occasionally pressing down with a spatula (you should hear a squeaking sound) to brown well. Remove, season and set aside. 
3.  Add another drizzle of oil in the same pan and stir-fry mince in 2-3 batches. (This is important, as overcrowding will steam mince instead of sear and brown.) Season lightly and continuously move the mince with a spatula, breaking up lumps of meat, until well browned.
4.  Add grated ginger, garlic, red chillies, soy-, oyster- and fish sauces. Stir-fry until sticky. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
5.  Toss through the Swiss chard, stirring to wilt, then return mushrooms to reheat.
6.  Serve stir-fried mince over noodles, topped with spring onion and coriander.

Listen up

• Mushrooms are little sponges, so it’s best to cook them over high heat with a little oil. To know if your pan is hot enough, add a mushroom and press down onto it using a spatula. If the mushroom makes a squeaking sound, it’s hot enough. 
• For mince to crisp up and caramelise, your pan should not be overcrowded. You should hear a searing sound throughout cooking the mince, although it will soften while cooking, which indicates the fat is rendering out and meat is browning. 

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Braai grid mushroom pizza

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These may look like regular beef shish kebabs, but they definitely aren’t! This MK version is flavoured with peanut butter, cumin and coriander!

SERVES 8 // COOK TIME ± 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the kebabs
500 g mince
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 slices stale white bread, grated
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp paprika
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, to baste
For the pasta salad
250 g orzo, cooked according to packet instructions
1 cucumber, sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 onion, finely sliced
180 g black olives, drained
¼ cup mint
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Flatbread, to serve

METHOD
For the kebabs
1. Combine all of the kebab ingredients, except for the oil, in a bowl. Using wet hands, roll into 8 equal-sized balls, and then form the balls into 8 sausage shapes.
2. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 10 minutes first to prevent them burning. Spear each sausage with a skewer and set aside.
3. Grill the kebabs in a griddle pan over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning regularly and brushing with oil, until browned and cooked through.
For the pasta salad
1. Arrange the orzo, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives and mint on a platter.
2. Drizzle with lemon juice and oil and season with salt, pepper and lemon zest.
3. Serve the kebabs with the pasta salad and flatbread.

This classic Portuguese favourite peri-peri espetadas is made easy with Jan Braai’s lip-smacking recipe.

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Feeling a little cash poor? These four affordable ingredient swaps will help you save money, and are just as tasty!

1. Make buttermilk with lemon juice
We rarely use the whole carton in one go anyway! By mixing 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice with every 1 cup milk, you can make the exact amount of buttermilk you need, on the cheap.

2. Replace mincemeat with lentils
Bobotie, meatballs or good ol’ spaghetti Bolognese – all of these meaty favourites can be made with more affordable plant-based protein. Lentils mimic the texture of mince and will take on whatever flavours you cook them with.

3. Quinoa over barley
Barley is a cheaper option that provides you with more fibre, nearly as much iron, and plenty of manganese, selenium and other phytonutrients. The only downside is that it contains gluten.

4. Use Chia seeds instead of flaxseeds
Ground-up (that way your body can absorb the nutrients), flaxseeds provide plenty of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. And they can be used to replace eggs in vegan cooking and baking, in the same way as chia seeds.

The post Affordable Ingredient Swaps To Save You Money appeared first on MyKitchen.

Want a delicious South African snack? Then try our babotie vetkoek bites with coconut sauce recipe. It will not disappoint!

SERVES 15

INGREDIENTS
For the bobotie mince
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp grated ginger
½ tsp paprika
3 tomatoes, chopped
500 g beef mince
½ cup grated carrots (±1)
1 red chilli, chopped
½ tsp cayenne pepper
50 g flaked almonds, toasted
Handful coriander, chopped
For the vetkoek
2 cups warm water
10 g yeast
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
690 g flour
For the coconut sauce
200 ml coconut milk
1 tsp turmeric,
½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper

METHOD
For the bobotie mince
1. Heat oil in a pot and fry onion, garlic, curry powder, ginger and paprika for 2–3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add mince, carrot, chilli and cayenne pepper. Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Add the almonds and coriander. Remove from the heat and cool.
For the vetkoek
1. Combine water, yeast, sugar and salt. Set aside for 5 minutes, until foamy. (If it doesn’t bubble, the yeast has not activated and you’ll have to start again.)
2. Add the flour. Knead for 5 minutes, until elastic. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Allow to proof in a warm place for 2 hours, until doubled in size.
3. Turn out on to a floured surface and knock back. Roll out and cut it into 4 cm squares. Roll each one into a ball.
4. Allow the balls to proof in a warm place for 10 minutes while you heat the oil.
5. Use a slotted spoon to drop the balls into the hot oil. Fry for 3–5 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
For the coconut sauce
1. Whisk coconut milk, turmeric, salt and white pepper in a pot. Cook over low heat, whisking continuously, until thick and creamy.

TO SERVE
 1. Slice each vetkoek in half and fill with bobotie mince. Serve warm with coconut sauce.

Want another South African inspired dish? Then try this delicious South African-style boerewors corn dog recipe!

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Not only does this Mexican enchilada bake make the most of mince, a staple protein, it’s also perfect for themed dinners! You can also make this bake in a ‘lasagna style’ by layering strips of tortilla wraps, sauce, mince and cheese on top of each other.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
For the mince
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
500 g beef mince
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tin black beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper, to season
For the enchilada sauce
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
1 cup chicken stock
¼ cup water
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1½ tbsp sugar
To assemble
6 tortilla wraps
1 cup mozzarella, grated
1 cup Cheddar, grated
To serve
1 cup fresh coriander

METHOD
For the mince
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a large ovenproof casserole dish.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the onion and peppers until soft, about 6–8 minutes. Add the mince and fry until cooked through, breaking the mince up with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the tomato paste, black beans, and seasoning and simmer for 15 minutes.
For the enchilada sauce
1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
2. Add the flour and whisk until combined, then whisk in the herbs and spices.
3. Slowly pour in the chicken stock and water, whisking continuously until smooth. Add the tomatoes and sugar, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
To assemble
1. On a clean surface, spread a tortilla with an even layer of sauce. Place the mince in a line down the middle of the wrap and sprinkle with mozzarella.
2. Roll into a cigar shape, place in the casserole dish and repeat with the rest of the wraps.
3. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with Cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
4. Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Keen to add a little local flair to your traditional bakes? Try our baked boerewors chilli.

The post Mexican enchilada bake appeared first on MyKitchen.

These fun reindeer sloppy joes are sure to bring the festive cheer this year, so why not get the kids involved and make them together?

MAKES 10 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 10 min

INGREDIENTS
For the reindeer sloppy joes
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800 g beef mince
4 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tsp origanum
1½ tbsp tomato paste, plus extra to assemble
To assemble
10 rolls
5 baby tomatoes, halved
2 cheese slices
10 raisins, halved
10 pretzels

METHOD
For the reindeer sloppy joes
1. Heat a dash of oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 8 minutes, until soft.
2. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
3. Add the mince and brown for 8 minutes. Then add the tomato sauce, sugar, tinned tomatoes, origanum and 1½ tbsp of the tomato paste. Season well and simmer for 20 minutes.
To assemble
1. Slice open each roll and fill with tbsp of mince.
2. To make noses, use a toothpick to attach half of a tomato to each roll.
3. Use the wide end of a piping nozzle to cut eyes from the cheese. Stick them to the rolls using extra tomato paste. Put raisin halves in the middle of each eye to make pupils.
4. Break each pretzel in half and stick them into the top of each roll to make antlers. Enjoy immediately.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

Christmas in South Africa wouldn’t be the same without hot summer nights by the braai, and the little ones will love snacking on these drool-worthy Snickers s’mores after their supper.

The post Cooking with kids: Reindeer sloppy joes appeared first on MyKitchen.