Turn humble tinned fish into something spectacular with these yummy recipes. Your tummy and your wallet will thank you! 

Mussels 

Mussel, olive and tomato rice pot 

Serves 4 // Hands-on 20 minutes 

Ingredients 

400g tin chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 cup rice
Olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
400g rosa tomatoes, sliced lengthways
4 × 85g tin mussels
200g green olives, pitted
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
Rocket, to garnish 

Method  

1. Place 150ml water, chopped tomatoes and a large pinch of salt in a pot over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the rice, decrease to low heat and cover (leaving a small gap for steam to escape). Cook until the water has been absorbed, about 12–15 minutes. Uncover and set aside.
2. In another pan, heat the oil, and lemon zest and juice over medium heat. Add the rosa tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the mussels and olives and cook for 5 minutes. Add the parsley and season.
3. Toss the mussel mixture through the rice and serve with lemon wedges and rocket.

Pilchards 

Curried pilchard rotis  

Serves 4 // Cooking time 30 minutes 

Ingredients 

Olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
½ Tbsp garam masala
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 × 400g tin pilchards in chilli sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
Salt and black pepper
8 rotis
Microgreen salad leaves, to serve  

Method  

1. Heat a glug of oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the onions until they are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for about 2 minutes.
2. Add the cumin, garam masala and cayenne pepper. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the pilchards and fry for 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice. Season.
3. Heat a dry pan over high heat and warm the rotis (about 5 minutes per roti).
4. To serve, scatter a handful of microgreens on each roti, and add a few pilchards. Serve with lemon wedges.

Also read: Buddha bowl with pilchards 

Sardines 

Roasted tomato and sardine pasta 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 1 hour 5 minutes 

Ingredients 

For the roasted tomatoes 

2 cups Rosa tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 

For the pasta 

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ cup olive oil
2 tins sardines
¾ cup grated hard cheese, plus extra to serve
2 Tbsp chopped dill, plus extra to serve
500 g spaghetti 

Method 

For the roasted tomatoes 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a roasting tray and season well.
3. Roast for 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are bursting.

For the pasta 

1. Fry the garlic in the olive oil over a low heat.
2. Turn up the heat to medium and add the sardines and tomato sauce, followed by the roasted tomatoes, hard cheese and dill.
3. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
5. Toss the pasta into the sauce and slowly drizzle in the reserved cooking water until the sauce has reached your desired consistency.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Jotham van Tonder 

Tuna 

Roast veg and tuna-stuffed pita pockets 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 35 minutes 

Ingredients 

For the roast vegetables 

1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 onion, quartered
1 brinjal, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp chopped rosemary  

For the tuna mayo 

2 tins tuna, drained
3 Tbsp plain yoghurt
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp ground coriander 

To serve 

4 wholewheat pitas
1 cup rocket
½ wheel feta, crumbled 

Method 

For the roast vegetables  

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and rosemary and season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until soft.

For the tuna mayo 

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and season with pepper to taste.
2. To serve, heat the pitas according to package instructions and fill halfway with roast vegetables. Spoon in some tuna mayo and top with fresh rocket and crumbled feta.

Recipes & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Also read: 4 appetising tuna recipes that may surprise you

The post Yummy canned fish recipes that won’t break the bank appeared first on MyKitchen.

With April including big religious celebrations such as Easter, Ramadaan and Pesach (also known as Passover), the MyKitchen team showcases the different iconic breads from each culture/religion.

Hot cross buns 

Makes 12 • Total Time 1 Hr [Plus Rising] 

Ingredients

FOR THE BUNS  

3 tsp yeast 
¼ cup caster sugar
2 cups warm milk 
4 cups flour, plus an extra cup 
3 tsp cinnamon 
2 tsp mixed spice 
1 tsp salt 
1½ cups sultanas
3 tbsp mixed citrus peel 
4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled 
1 egg, at room temperature  

FOR THE CROSSES  

½ cup flour
5 tbsp water  

FOR THE GLAZE  

3 tbsp apricot jam, melted  

Method

1. Place yeast, sugar and milk in a bowl and set aside. 
2. Sift in flour, spices and salt and add fruit, butter and egg. 
3. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and knead until a sticky dough forms. 
4. Turn dough out onto a generously floured working surface. Knead dough and add more flour, until mixture is smooth and elastic, for 5 minutes. 
5. Place dough into a well-oiled bowl, cover and set in a warm place to double in size, about 45 minutes. 
6. Knock down dough and roll out into a thick log. Cut into 12 equal portions. 
7. Grease and line a rectangular baking tray. 
8. Shape portions into smooth, round balls. Place on tray. 
9. Set in a warm place to rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
10. For the crosses, mix flour and water to form a thick but pipeable paste. Place in a Ziploc bag and snip off a tiny section off one corner. 
11. Pipe neat crosses over buns. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. 
12. 1 Brush jam over buns. 
13. Serve buns warm with your choice of topping. 

Matzah 

Makes 15 • Total Time 30 Min 

Ingredients

2 cups flour, sifted, plus more for rolling 
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling 
1 tbsp olive oil 
¾ to 1 cup water  

Method

1. Preheat oven to its highest heat, 230°C or 250°C. 
2. Place flour, salt and olive oil into a bowl. 
3. Slowly add water, mixing with your hands to incorporate. Knead dough into a smooth ball, adding more flour if mixture is too wet. 
4. Roll dough into a long log and divide into 10 portions. 
5. Flour your work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll a portion of dough as thinly as you can. 
6. Repeat with remaining portions and place on greased baking trays. 
7. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until crisp and golden. 
8. Remove and sprinkle with kosher salt. 

Foodie Fact 
Traditional matzah is made without raising agents. Why? Only unleavened food is made and eaten during Passover. 

Flaky rotis 

Makes 12-15 • Total Time 45 Min [Plus Resting] 

Ingredients

1kg flour 
2 tsp salt 
2 cups water 
125g soft butter
Oil, for frying  

Method

1. Mix flour, salt and water together, using your hands to knead into a soft dough. 
2. Place dough in a bowl, cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes. 
3. Roll dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 16 equal portions. 
4. Roll each one out as thinly as you can. 
5. Using your fingers, smear 2 tablespoons butter over each portion. 
6. Roll length of dough into a log. Rest for 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough portions. 
7. Roll each end of the log inwards to form two spirals. They should meet in the middle to form an S-shape. Stack the spirals to form a ball, but don’t squash. Repeat with remaining dough portions and refrigerate for another 10 minutes. 
8. Roll each roti out into a thin circle. 
9. Add oil to a large frying pan and fry rotis, one at a time, until golden and crispy. 

Chef’s Tip: Once you’ve formed your roti balls, you can freeze until needed. Thaw completely before rolling out. 

Easter bread 

Serves 12 • Total Time 1 Hr 15 Min [Plus Rising] 

Ingredients

1½ cups milk, warmed
2½ tsp yeast
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
4 cups flour
1/3 butter, melted and cooled 
2 large eggs, beaten 
1 egg, beaten
5 eggs, dyed, raw or hard boiled
100s and 1000s, for sprinkling   

Method 

1. Place milk, yeast and sugar into a bowl and set aside. 
2. Sieve salt and flour into a large bowl. 
3. Add milk mixture, butter and two eggs to flour. Knead into a soft dough, adding more flour if needed until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. 
4. Rest dough for 15 minutes. 
5. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a long strip. Braid strips together and pinch ends together to form a wreath. Place on a greased baking tray and allow to rise for 45 minutes. 6. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
6. Make five indents and place dyed eggs into each. 
7. Brush bread with egg, add sprinkles and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden. 

Chef’s Tip 
The eggs should be soft-boiled by the end of the baking time and can serve as dipping pots for your bread. To learn how to dye eggs, turn to page 10. 

Photography: Zhann Solomons  

The post Iconic Breads In Celebration Of South Africa’s Diverse Culture appeared first on MyKitchen.

Delicious fish? Tick! Healthy fats and oils? Tick! Easy and convenient? Tick! Use a humble tin of fish to create our moreish curried pilchard rotis.

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tbsp garam masala
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 × 400g tin pilchards in chilli sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
Salt and black pepper
8 rotis
Microgreen salad leaves, to serve

METHOD
1. Heat a glug of oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the onions until they are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for about 2 minutes.
2. Add the cumin, garam masala and cayenne pepper. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the pilchards and fry for 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice. Season.
3. Heat a dry pan over high heat and warm the rotis (about 5 minutes per roti).
4. To serve, scatter a handful of microgreens on each roti, and add a few pilchards. Serve with lemon wedges.

With extra protein and omega-fatty acids, this tuna salad with baby marrow and beans is ideal for a nutritious and budget-friendly lunch!

The post Curried pilchard rotis appeared first on MyKitchen.

Talk about a meal dash! You only need a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes to put together these basil-mushroom rotis with cream cheese.

SERVES 2 // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, grated
1 punnet exotic mushrooms, chopped
Handful basil
2 rotis, toasted
¼ cup cream cheese

METHOD
1. Heat oil and butter in a pan and fry garlic until golden. Add the mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and add the basil to wilt.
3. Spoon mushrooms and cooking juices over rotis, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve with the cream cheese on the side.

Tip
Exotic mushrooms are tastier than button mushrooms, but they can be pricey. If you can’t afford them, add a dash of soy sauce for umami flavour.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

There are so many ways you can enjoy mushrooms, and they’re all meat-free! Check out these creamy herbed mushrooms on home-made crumpets next.

The post Basil-mushroom rotis with cream cheese appeared first on MyKitchen.

There’s nothing quite as comforting as a meal made from scratch. Spoil the fam with these home-made rotis and your favourite curry.

MAKES 8 // COOKING TIME 20 min

INGREDIENTS
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
¾ cup water
150 g butter, chopped
Vegetable oil, to fry

METHOD
1. Place flour, salt and water in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough comes together.
2. Turn out on to a well floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide into 8 balls.
3. Roll out each ball and stud with pieces of butter.
4. Roll each flattened ball into a sausage shape and then into a coil. Allow to rest for 2 hours.
5. On a floured surface, roll out each coil of dough into a circle.
6. Brush a non-stick pan with oil and place over medium heat. Cook rotis for 1 minute on each side, until the edges turn golden and a few darker spots appear.

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

This dhania murgh from Vani Padayachee will be the perfect pairing for your rotis!

The post Home-made rotis for all your favourite curries appeared first on MyKitchen.