Cook-in sauces are a cost-effective way to efficiently whip up a low-effort meal. For MK’s Test Kitchen, we’ve put large brands to the test.

In the ring

The team tasted two brands from the following sauces to find out which one came out on top:

Sweet & sour sauce

Royco Sweet and Sour cook-in sauce, 415g (R53)
vs
DENNY Sweet and Sour cook-in sauce, 415g (R53)

Tasting team:

“Denny won it for me! It provided both a sweet and sour taste, and was beautifully balanced.” – Oreneile Modise (Food Intern)

“I’m not one to stand in the kitchen for hours – I’d rather buy a sauce and have it taste like I made it! Denny’s sweet and sour sauce really appeals to me. Its silky texture and tangy flavour coats my tongue in such a filling way -a definite winner in my eyes!” – Geraldine Amoko (Senior Copy Editor)

“I enjoyed both sweet and sour sauce brands, but if I had to choose – I would go for Denny.” – Anelitha Hiti (Lifestyle Intern)

Final thoughts:

DENNY grabbed the win here, as it came across as the most exciting and well rounded sauce overall.

Mushroom sauce

Knorr Creamy Instant Mushroom Sauce, 38g (R19)
vs
Lancewood Mushroom Sauce, 250ml (R40)

Tasting team:

“When it comes to the mushroom sauce, Lancewood wins hands down. The sauce tastes like mushrooms because it contains mushrooms, and you get the full herby flavour. Knorr was just not up to scratch.” – Christi Nortier (Lifestyle Editor)

“Lancewood wins the category. It’s tough to compare the two because Knorr is a dry mixture and is thus more muted and artificial. Lancewood is able to get the fresh, homemade taste across as those tubs have a much shorter shelf life.” – Gail Damon (Food Contributor)

Final thoughts:

The team’s reactions were passionate about this one! Knorr wins on affordability and shelf life, but Lancewood’s fresh offering just pushed it to the side. To make a fresh mushroom sauce from scratch would cost more, so Lancewood is the winner!

Tomato-based sauce

Monteverde Passata Crushed Tomatoes, 400g (R37)
vs
Ina Paarman Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce, 400g (R73)

Tasting team:

“The Monteverde passata was too acidic when compared to Ina Paarman, which was well balanced, light and fresh.” – Christi Nortier (Lifestyle Editor)

“One of my favourites from the day was Ina Paarman. It was delectable, rich and full of flavour.” – Anelitha Hiti (Lifestyle Intern)

Final thoughts:

Monteverde is significantly more affordable and forms a base for a sauce that needs a few more bits and a simmer to soften its sharp tomatoes. Ina Paarman’s sauce secures the win because it’s ready to heat and eat, saving you time while also delivering on flavour.

The post Saucy short cuts appeared first on MyKitchen.

South Africans will use any opportunity to braai, that’s for sure! If you want to be crowned the Braai Master this year, here are three of our all-time favourite basting sauces and marinades guaranteed to impress your guests.

Apricot-butter braaied snoek

SERVES 6 | COOKING TIME 90 min

INGREDIENTS

1 whole snoek, filleted
Coarse salt and black pepper
150g butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
125ml smooth apricot jam
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp Cape Malay curry powder
Splash white wine (optional)
Olive oil

METHOD

1. Sprinkle the snoek with salt and leave for 20–30 minutes. Rinse off and pat dry.
2. Cook the butter and garlic until the butter is foamy. Add apricot jam, lemon zest, curry powder and wine. Stir through. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and pepper.
3. Coat the snoek in oil so it won’t stick to the grid. Braai for about 15 minutes, basting with the apricot butter and turning frequently. Serve with leftover apricot butter.

Honey and soy spatchcock chicken with herb salad

SERVES 4

Thinking about what you should make for dinner tonight? How about a perfectly tender spatchcock chicken doused in an Asian-style dressing, served with a fresh seasonal herb salad? You’re welcome.

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken

½ cup sweet Indonesian soy sauce
½ cup teriyaki sauce
¼ cup BBQ sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
3 tbsp honey
1 spatchcock chicken
1 lemon, halved or quartered

For the salad

1 tbsp lemon juice, plus zest of ½ a lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp honey
Salt and pepper
2 packets baby salad leaves
1 packet micro herbs
2 spring onions, sliced
Edible flowers, to garnish

METHOD

For the chicken
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Mix the sweet Indonesian soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, BBQ sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce and honey together in a bowl and marinate the chicken for at least 20 minutes.
3. Place the chicken on a foil-lined roasting tray and roast in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until cooked and sticky, basting every 15 minutes.

For the salad
1. Whisk the lemon juice, zest, olive oil, mustard and honey together and season.
2. Just before serving, toss the dressing together with the baby salad leaves, micro herbs and spring onions, and garnish with edible flowers. Serve the salad with the chicken and lemon wedges.

Got plans for the weekend? Nope? Great! Whip up your own BBQ sauce, baste a spatchcock chicken and throw it on the braai.

Sticky Ribs

SERVES 8–10 | COOKING TIME 2 hours, 20 min

These sweet sticky ribs are the perfect starter or snack for when you want to entertain some guests. They’re absolutely divine!

INGREDIENTS

2 kg pork back ribs, cut in half lengthwise, bite-sized
8 rooibos tea bags
½ cup brown sugar, plus 3 tbsp
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Salt and pepper
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Spring onions, sliced, to garnish

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the ribs in a roasting tin.
2. Place the tea bags in a bowl with 2 cups boiling water and steep for 10–15 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add ½ cup brown sugar, orange zest and juice, and seasoning. Pour over the ribs and cover with tinfoil.
3. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven.
4. Turn up the oven to 230°C.
5. Drain the cooking juices from the roasting tin into a pot and simmer over a medium heat to reduce by half, 15–20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients (except spring onions) to form a glaze. Remove from the heat.
6. Return the ribs to the oven and cook, basting often with the glaze, until caramelised and sticky.
7. Allow to cool slightly. Serve garnished with spring onions.

The post Be the Snoek, Spatchcock and Rib Braai Master appeared first on MyKitchen.

Hold the salt and try these yummy home-made sauces, spices and sprinkles instead! They make great sodium-free condiments for all your favourite foods.

DIJON VINAIGRETTE

MAKES 1 cup // COOKING TIME 5 min

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup red-wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried origanum

METHOD
1. Whisk together the wet ingredients until combined.
2. Stir in shallot and origanum.
3. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

POPCORN SPICE

MAKES 2 servings // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp smoked paprika

METHOD
1. Toast garlic powder and paprika in a dry pan until fragrant.
2. Store in an airtight container for up to for 3 months.

GREEN TAHINI SAUCE

MAKES 1 cup // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
60 g parsley
½ cup tahini
¼ cup water
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

METHOD
1. Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the garlic until golden.
2. Blend all the ingredients until smooth.
3. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

ROAST GARLIC AND ORIGANUM MARINADE

MAKES ½ cup // COOKING TIME 20 min

INGREDIENTS
3 garlic cloves
¼ cup olive oil
20 g fresh origanum
2 tbsp dried origanum
½ tsp pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place garlic cloves in tin foil, drizzle with 2 tbsp oil and wrap. Roast for 15 minutes.
3. Peel the roast garlic. Chop it with the fresh origanum.
4. Mix all the ingredients.
5. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

TOMATO-CHILLI JAM

MAKES 2 cups // COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 min

INGREDIENTS
800 g baby tomatoes, halved
½ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp tomato paste
3 red chillies, finely chopped
½ tsp chilli flakes
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

METHOD
1. Mix the tomatoes and sugar. Leave for 1 hour.
2. Heat the oil and fry the onion until golden. Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pot. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste, chillies and chilli flakes. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring continuously.
4. Add lemon zest and juice. Cook for 5 minutes, until it reaches a jammy consistency.
5. Store in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

CHERMOULA MARINADE

MAKES 1 cup // COOKING TIME 35 min

INGREDIENTS
1 red pepper, halved and seeded
⅓ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp chilli flakes
20 g coriander
1 cup full-cream yoghurt
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Roast pepper for 20 minutes, until charred. Place in a sealed ziplock bag for 10 minutes to cool, then peel.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry garlic until golden. Add the cumin and chilli and fry for 5 minutes.
4. Blend all the ingredients until mixed but still chunky.
5. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

ALL-PURPOSE SPICE MIX

MAKES ¼ cup // COOKING TIME 5 min

INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp dried origanum
6 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 tsp sumac
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp pepper

METHOD
1. Mix all the ingredients.
2. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

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

So what can you enjoy these sodium-free condiments with, you ask? How about this Mexican dinner party?

The post Sodium-free condiments for all your party snacks appeared first on MyKitchen.

Assemble this tangy tartare sauce in no time, perfect with a fresh seafood feast of your choice. It’s also delicious as a side with chicken or mushrooms!

MAKES 250 ml // COOKING TIME 5 min

INGREDIENTS
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped capers
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped gherkins
1 tbsp gherkin brine
Squeeze lemon juice
Salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Mix all the ingredients and season to taste.

Recipe & styling: Brita du Plessis
Photography: Kendall-Leigh Nash

The post Tangy tartare sauce appeared first on MyKitchen.

How many of you have opened up your fridge only to find a few odd tomatoes, half an onion and maybe some leftover rice? Then you head to the freezer and find that there is even less to work with! Putting together a meal in the last days of the month needn’t be a dreary affair, with a few pantry staples and these quick-as-a-flash home-made sauces, dinner will be just as tasty as when the kitchen was still fully stocked after pay-day.

By Jana du Plessis

1. BASIC WHITE SAUCE

Starting with a roux (cooking a small amount of flour in melted butter), this is the mother of all sauces. Add some cheese and mix it with pasta and mushrooms to make our smoky mushroom mac ‘n’ cheese, or keep it simple and cover some veg with a blanket of creamy deliciousness.

2. SATAY SAUCE

This one is for those last bits of peanut butter stuck in the jar to avoid it going to waste. Mix the ingredients for the sauce straight in the jar, give it a shake and there you go! Drizzle it over our roast butternut or our peanut chicken noodles.

3. HOME-MADE TOMATO SAUCE

Tomato sauce must be every South African household’s favourite condiment. From burgers to sandwiches, chip dipping to hot dog smearing, we all love a squirt of the saucy red stuff. When in a pickle it’s easy to make your own with a tin of tomatoes, some sauteed onions and a few dashes and splashes of pantry seasoning. Make our thick tomato stew – perfect for a hearty meat dish or keep it light and dipping-friendly for crumbed chicken bits.

4. HUMMUS

Technically it’s more of a spread than a sauce, but it’s so yummy, cheap and delicious, we just had to give it a mention. A simple blend of chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic makes hummus a veggie protein powerhouse along with providing some healthy fats and fibre. Keep a jar of it in your fridge to eat with veggies, on top of toast or just have it by the spoonful when hunger strikes!

What’s your go-to sauce for tasty, easy and delicious recipes? Please share with us in the comments below.

The post Use these home-made sauces for quick meals on a budget appeared first on MyKitchen.