Hosting (and sharing) is made easy with these pick-up and go meals, fit for a Mexican street food feast. No cutlery needed, just bring the napkins, says Liezl Vermeulen.  

Quesabirrias 

Makes 6-8

Also called red tacos or birria tacos, this dish uses flour tortillas dipped in the birria sauce (consommé) and fried. The beef fat in the sauce ensures a crisp, golden finish. 

Ingredients

½ batch beef short rib birria
6-8 medium-small white flour tortillas 
300g mozzarella, grated Handful of fresh coriander 
Pico de Gallo salsa, for serving  

Method

1. Heat birria sauce in a large pan or pot. Dip tortillas in warm birria sauce for 3-4 seconds and place on a chopping board or two. 
2. Divide cheese and meat between tortillas, packing it tightly on one half of the tortilla. Fold over to sandwich close.
3. Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. (If your pan is too hot, your cheese won’t melt by the time the tortilla is cooked.)
4. Grill quesabirrias for 1-2 minutes a side, or until cheese is melted and tortilla is well-charred.  
5. Serve hot off the grill, topped with salsa and coriander. 

Cheesy nachos with birria dip  

Serves 3-4 (As a snack) 

Use your leftover birria sauce for dipping nachos, chilli poppers and just about anything on your Mexican share table.

Ingredients

1 packet (250g) corn chips original
150g Cheddar, grated
½ tsp smoked paprika 
125g tomato medley or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered 
Handful chopped parsley or coriander
½ cup birria sauce, for serving  

Method

1. Place corn chips on a large sheet tray. Sprinkle with cheese and lightly dust with paprika. 
2. Grill on high in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until chips are toasted and cheese starts to brown. 
3. Serve topped with tomatoes, chopped herbs and a bowl of birria sauce for dipping on the side. 

Recipes and styling: Liezl Vermeulen 

Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Make these brocamole quesadillas in 20 minutes!

The post 2 delicious Mexican street food recipes appeared first on MyKitchen.

Get ready to turn your Meat-Free Monday into a veggie extravaganza with our creative cauliflower recipes! Whether you’re craving spicy pitas or creamy mac ’n cheese, try these great recipes today!  

Cauliflower bread with avocado slices 

Makes 1 loaf // Cooking time 1 hour 10 minutes 

 
Ingredients 

1 cauliflower
1 cup egg whites (±8 eggs)
2 whole eggs
½ cup coconut flour
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp mixed herbs
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
½ cup cheddar, grated
Avocado, to serve  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease and line a loaf tin.
2. Discard cauliflower leaves. Chop florets into chunks. Pulse in a food processor until it resembles rice.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except the cheddar and avocado, and blend.
4. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, smooth out the top and sprinkle with both cheeses.
5. Bake for 10 minutes at 220°C, then decrease the temperature to 180°C and bake for another 45–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
6. Allow the loaf to cool for 15 minutes, then turn out on to a board to slice. Serve as is or lightly toasted with plenty of avocado.

Recipe & styling: Brita du Plessis
Photography: Kendall-Leigh Nash // HMimages.co.za 

Crunchy spiced cauliflower pitas 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients 

½ cup vegetable oil
1½ Tbsp chilli flakes
1 red chilli, chopped
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup breadcrumbs 
1 Tbsp Moroccan spice mix
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup golden syrup 

To serve  

4 pitas, heated 
180g tub hummus
Handful coriander 
¼ red onion, thinly sliced    

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 
2. Carefully heat the oil in a pan over medium heat until smoking. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 1 minute. Stir in the chilli flakes and chilli and set aside to infuse. 
3. While the oil is infusing, steam the cauliflower for 4 minutes. 
4. Mix the breadcrumbs and Moroccan spice together.
5. Dip cauliflower into the beaten egg and then into breadcrumbs. Once evenly coated, place on the prepared tray. Bake for about 10 min, until golden brown. 
6. Mix the syrup into the chilli oil. Drizzle half over the crispy cauliflower and toss to coat. Add more if needed.
7. To serve, spread pitas with hummus. Top with crispy cauliflower and drizzle with remaining chilli oil. Garnish with a handful of fresh coriander and sliced red onion.

Recipes & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Chanelle Manuel/HMIMAGES.CO.ZA 

Cauliflower and coconut soup with chilli oil 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 30 minutes 

Ingredients 

1 cauliflower, chopped
⅓ cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 red chillies, seeded and chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
400ml tin coconut cream
Salt and black pepper
Toasted coconut flakes, to garnish  

Method 

1. Set aside a few cauliflower florets for garnishing.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and 1 chopped chili, and fry for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the chopped cauliflower and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
4. Heat a drop of oil in a pan and fry the reserved cauliflower florets for a few minutes, until they are slightly charred.
5. To make the chili oil, place the remaining olive oil and chilies in a pan over medium heat. Fry until chilies are slightly browned. Pour the oil out of the pan and allow to cool down.
6. Purée the soup with a stick blender. Add the coconut cream and season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve with charred cauliflower florets, toasted coconut flakes and a drizzle of chili oil.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil & Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Cauliflower Nachos 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 25 minutes

Ingredients 

1 large cauliflower
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp turmeric
Salt and black pepper
400g tin black beans (or corn)
Handful coriander, roughly chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1 red onion, diced
Squeeze lemon juice
½ cup grated Cheddar
¼ cup pickled jalapeños 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Break the cauliflower into florets, then cut into 1 cm-thick slices.
3. Toss with oil, cumin, chilli flakes, turmeric, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, until crispy. Put the grill on.
4. For the salsa, combine beans or corn, coriander, tomatoes and onion. Add a squeeze of lemon juice.
5. Place on an ovenproof serving dish. Top with Cheddar and pop under the grill until melted.
6. Serve topped with salsa and jalapeños.

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto 

Cauliflower mac and cheese  

Serves 4-6  

Ingredients  

2 Tbsp butter 
2 Tbsp olive oil 
1 onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, chopped 
3 sprigs each thyme and rosemary 
1 large cauliflower, broken into florets 
2 cups milk 
1 cup cream 
2 cups grated Cheddar 
1 packet (500g) macaroni, cooked
1 punnet vine or cherry tomatoes 
3 slices crusty bread, torn into chunks   

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Heat butter and oil in a pan and sauté the onion until golden. 
3. Add garlic, herbs and ¾ of the cauliflower and fry for 1 minute. 
4. Pour in milk and cream, then simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. 
5. Mash cauliflower to create a sauce and stir through the cheese. 
6. Toss pasta through sauce and transfer into a greased ovenproof dish. 
7. Top with tomatoes and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and cheese has melted.

Words by: Chad January
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

The post 5 cauliflower recipes to brighten your meat-free Monday  appeared first on MyKitchen.

After her first smash-hit air fryer cookbook, our local best-selling author Louisa Holst is back with her second must-fry book. She’s serving up snacks, roasts, quick meals and dessert – all from her air fryer!  

Lemon and sage roast chicken 

SERVES 4-6 

Swap out the lemon for lime, orange or grapefruit if you prefer.  

Ingredients 

2 lemons 
1 (about 1.25kg) whole chicken 
45ml soft butter 
Handful fresh sage leaves 
30ml olive oil 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

Method 

1. Cut one of the lemons in half, then cut each half into thin half-moon slices. Cut the other lemon into quarters. 
2. Use your fingers to gently separate the skin from the chicken breast to create a pocket. Spread the soft butter carefully under the skin. Then, place the lemon slices and a few sage leaves under the skin. 
3. Put any leftover slices of lemon along with the lemon quarters and a sprig of sage into the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs closed with string. 
4. Pat the chicken dry and rub with olive oil. Season well with the salt and pepper. 
5. Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C. Put the chicken, breast side down, into the basket of the air fryer and cook for 20 minutes. 
6. Turn the chicken over and baste with a little more olive oil. Cook for a further 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked and golden, and the juices run clear. Use a meat thermometer to check: the temperature should be 85°C. 
7. Remove from the air fryer and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Bean and biltong nachos 

SERVES 4-6 

These nachos are topped with spicy beans and biltong. They’re easy to prepare in the air fryer and will go down very well with a cold beer. 

Ingredients 

250g packet of nacho chips
1 can (400g) red kidney beans, drained 
200g baby rosa tomatoes 
30ml canola oil 
15ml Mexican taco spice 
50ml ready-made chipotle or BBQ sauce 
125ml biltong, thinly sliced 
Half a red onion, thinly sliced 
250ml grated Cheddar 
1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced 
Sour cream and fresh coriander, to serve 

Method 

1. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C. Place the nachos in the air fryer basket and heat for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Toss halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the air fryer and set aside. 
2. Mix together the beans, tomatoes, oil, taco spice and chipotle or BBQ sauce in a bowl. Toss to coat. 
3. Put the bean mixture into the basket of the air fryer and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the air fryer and set aside. 
4. Divide the nachos between two ovenproof containers or aluminium foil containers. 
5. Top the nachos with the bean mixture. Sprinkle with biltong, sliced onion and cheese.
6. Put one of the containers into the air fryer and cook at 200 °C for about 5-6 minutes until the cheese has melted. Repeat with the remaining batch. 
7. Serve hot, topped with avocado, sour cream and coriander.

Spiced roasted butternut salad with peaches 

SERVES 4-6 

The sweet and spicy flavours of this colourful salad are sure to be a hit at your next braai. Simply add 250ml cooked couscous or quinoa and top with crumbed feta if you prefer a more substantial salad. 

Ingredients 

FOR THE SALAD  

500g cubed butternut 
1 onion, cut into wedges 
30ml canola oil 
20ml Cape Malay or mild curry powder 
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (410g) sliced peaches, drained 
125g snow peas, raw or blanched 
15ml mixed seeds, toasted  

FOR THE DRESSING  

30ml canola oil 
15ml chutney 
25ml red wine vinegar 
1ml ground turmeric 
5ml soy sauce 
1 fresh chilli, seeded and chopped 

Method 

1. For the salad, cut the butternut pieces in half if they are quite big. Put the cubes into a bowl and add the onion wedges. Add the oil and toss to coat. 
2. Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C. 
3. Place the butternut and onion in the air-fryer basket and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the ingredients from the air fryer and return to the bowl. Add the curry powder and stir to coat well. 
4. Return the ingredients to the basket of the air fryer and cook for a further 15-20 minutes until tender. Remove from the air fryer and set aside to cool. 
5. Add the green pepper, peaches and snow peas. 
6. Mix together the dressing ingredients. 
7. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and sprinkle with the seeds to serve.

Words: Chad January  
Recipes: Louisa Holst  
Photographs: Donna Lewis 

Also read: 5 TikTok airfryer hacks you have to try

The post 3 noteworthy air fryer recipes by Louisa Holst  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Editor Chad January has your weeknight supper sorted with this five-ingredients, crowd pleaser nachos. 

Chicken and corn nachos 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

3 Tbsp butter  
2 cans (410g each) corn kernels, drained and rinsed 
4 tsp paprika  
1 tsp chilli flakes  
2-3 jalapenos, sliced  
Handful fresh parsley or coriander, chopped  
3 chicken breast fillets, sliced  
Glug olive oil  
Salt and milled black pepper  
300g halloumi, sliced  
240g corn nacho chips  
Handful fresh rocket  
2 avocados, cubed or sliced 
Lime wedges, for serving  

Method

1. Heat butter in a pan and fry corn for 2 minutes. 
2. Add 1 tsp paprika, chilli flakes, jalapeno and fry for another 2 minutes. Set aside and stir through herbs. 
3. Drizzle chicken with oil, season, and rub with remaining paprika. 
4. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and grill chicken for about 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Set aside. 
5. Add halloumi to the pan and grill for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. 
6. Divide corn, chicken, halloumi and nacho chips between serving bowls. 
7. Top with rocket and avo, and serve with lime wedges.

Words: Chad January

Photography: Fresh Living Magazine

The post Chicken and corn nachos under 15 minutes appeared first on MyKitchen.

Step out of your comfort zone with this butternut and creamy tomato nacho bake! Amasi cheese adds a fun local flavour to this meat-free option.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the amasi cheese ball
1 L amasi
For the nacho bake
1 butternut, peeled and sliced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 sprigs thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
400 g tin tomato purée
1 cup cream
2 tortillas, cut into triangles
1 amasi cheese ball, crumbled
Handful basil

METHOD
For the amasi cheese ball
1. Place a clean dish towel in a colander or a large sieve. Pour in amasi.
2. Tie the top of the cloth closed. Hang over your kitchen tap to drip for at least 8 hours (until the ball feels like firm cream cheese).
3. Remove the cheese from the cloth and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For the nacho bake
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Drizzle the butternut with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Heat a little oil in a pot and fry the onion, thyme and garlic powder.
4. Add the tomato purée and let it reduce for 20 minutes.
5. Add the cream and simmer for 10 minutes, until the colour deepens.
6. Turn down the oven to 180°C.
7. Brush tortillas with oil and toast in the oven until brown and crispy.
8. Arrange nachos, butternut and cheese in an ovenproof dish.
9. Pour over the sauce and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with basil.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Keen to get even more creative? Make your own chickpea nacho dippers.

The post Butternut and creamy tomato nacho bake with amasi cheese appeared first on MyKitchen.

Don’t simply build your nachos, make it from scratch! These chickpea nacho dippers are gluten-free and make the best crisps for all your fillers.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 55 min

INGREDIENTS
2 cups chickpea flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried origanum
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
½ tsp paprika
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup warm water
1 tbsp sea salt

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Sift the chickpea flour into a bowl. Add salt, pepper, baking powder, origanum, rosemary and paprika. Mix well.
3. Whisk in the coconut oil.
4. Add the warm water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture forms a ball.
5. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Place each between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out as thinly as possible, then cut into nacho-sized triangles.
6. Arrange on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, until golden.
7. Allow the nachos to cool on the tray until crisped up, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Keen to test out your new dippers? Use them for this vegetarian nachos recipe!

The post Make your own chickpea nacho dippers appeared first on MyKitchen.