This delicious seafood paella will hit the spot! Tip:You can replace half the shellfish with extra fish or fried calamari. 

Seafood paella 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil
8-12 prawns, cleaned
400g hake or any sustainable white fish
Salt and milled pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 large red peppers, finely chopped  

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large salad tomatoes, grated
1 ½ cups arborio (risotto) rice
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
3-4 threads saffron (optional)  

5 cups hot fish or vegetable stock
8-12 mussels, cleaned and steamed
Fresh parsley, lemon wedges and aioli, for serving  

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large ovenproof pan.
2. Fry prawns and fish until parcooked. Season, remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining oil to pan and fry onion until soft.
3. Add peppers, garlic and tomato and fry for 5-8 minutes. Increase heat and stir through rice and paprika, then fry for a few seconds.
4. Combine saffron, if using, with stock and pour over rice.
5. Briefly stir to combine, then avoid stirring for the rest of the cooking time.
6. Simmer for 3 minutes, reduce heat then simmer for 5 more minutes or until liquid is just below rice level.  
7. Return prawns and fish to pan then add mussels.
8. Cover with foil and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 5 minutes.
9. Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Top with parsley and serve with lemon and aioli on the side.  

Recipes and styling: Liezl Vermeulen 

Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine 

Also read: Pointers for the perfect paella

The post Seafood paella recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

You can’t deny that curry on a cold winters day is not the absolute best! So why not ditch the usual chicken or veg and try our crap curry recipe instead!

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 35 mins

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fennel seeds
1½ tsp grated ginger
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp turmeric
Salt and black pepper
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 red chilli, sliced in half and seeded
2 × 410g tin chopped tomatoes
1.4 kg crab claws
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Coriander, to garnish

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, fennel seeds, ginger, paprika and turmeric. Fry until fragrant. Season.
2. Add the tomato paste, sugar and chilli and fry for 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. Add the crab and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the liquid is slightly reduced and the crab is cooked through.
4. Add the lime zest and juice, season and garnish with coriander.

Quick, easy and delicious, these snoek jaffles are perfect to munch on around the fire and tough to beat when it comes to seafood braai favourites!

The post Crab curry appeared first on MyKitchen.

Sugar snap peas add a deliciously sweet flavour to this vegetable-rich pad Thai, an absolute favourite when it comes to Asian food.

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the peanut sauce
½ cup peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
⅓  cup water
For the pad Thai
200 g peeled shrimp
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp red chilli flakes
¼ red cabbage, chopped
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
8 carrots, ribboned
250 g sugar snap peas, split
Zest and juice of ½ lime
1 tbsp sesame oil

METHOD
For the peanut sauce
1. Mix all the ingredients, except the water, together.
2. Gradually stir in the water, until the sauce is thick.
For the pad Thai
1. Heat a pan over high until smoking. Add 1 tsp oil.
2. Fry the shrimp for 2−3 minutes on each side, until cooked. Remove and season.
3. Fry the onions for 2 minutes, then add garlic, ginger, soy sauce and chilli flakes. Set aside
4. Fry the cabbage for 2−3 minutes over high heat. Add the spinach and cook for 1−2 minutes. Add the onions slices.
5. Fry the carrot ribbons for 2−3 minutes. Add the sugar snaps and fry for 2 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and mix all the veg and shrimp together. Stir in the lime zest and juice and sesame oil.
7. Serve the pad Thai drizzled with peanut sauce.

Recipe: Dylan Norton
Styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

Not a seafood fan? Try this Thai beef with avo chimichurri instead.

The post Sugar snap pad Thai with peanut sauce appeared first on MyKitchen.

Winter is made for hearty roasts and delicious soups, which is why this classic corn and mussel chowder is the perfect recipe to add into the mix.

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour  min

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
1 packet streaky bacon bits
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 mielies, kernels removed
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 L fish stock
1 tbsp butter
1 kg mussels, cleaned
½ cup cream

METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and allow to brown. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the mielie kernels, potatoes and stock. Allow to simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft.
3. In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan over high heat. Add the mussels and pop the lid on. Cook, checking regularly, until all the mussels have opened. Remove the meat from half the mussels, discarding their shells.
4. Transfer the soup liquid to a food processor and blend until chunky.
5. Stir through the picked mussels and the cream. Divide into serving bowls and top with the remaining mussels still in their shells.

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

Fancy yourself a seafood lover? Enjoy our fresh West Coast paella recipe.

The post Classic corn and mussel chowder for winter appeared first on MyKitchen.

There’s nothing like an extra spicy seafood medley to keep it hot this winter, and we know fish and shellfish are Easter favourites. Go gourmet with this seafood platter with Cajun spice.

MAKES 6 // COOKING TIME 25 min

INGREDIENTS
For the Cajun spice mix
3 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp red chilli flakes, crushed
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
For the seafood
600 g calamari tubes, cleaned
12 medium-sized prawns, deveined
2½ tbsp Cajun spice mix
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup lemon juice
To serve
½ cup micro herbs
2 lemons, cut into wedges

METHOD
For the Cajun spice mix
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
For the seafood
1. Toss the calamari and prawns in the Cajun spice until well coated.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the calamari and prawns and pan fry for 2 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and stir fry for 5–6 minutes until the seafood is cooked through.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, pour over the lemon juice and toss to coat.
To serve
1. Serve your seafood platter hot topped with micro herbs and lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

Fancy yourself a seafood and wine lover? You have to try our seafood and sparkling-wine risotto!

The post Lemony seafood platter with Cajun spice appeared first on MyKitchen.

Take a trip to the many islands of Indonesia for the ultimate taste adventure that you can create in your own home, starting with these spicy fried noodles!

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chicken stock
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp sambal oelek
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp grated garlic
½ tsp chilli flakes
For the spicy fried noodles
400 g shelled prawns
3 garlic cloves
3 spring onions, sliced
1 Thai chilli, sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
½ cup bean sprouts
½ cup green beans, halved
¾ cup shredded cabbage
2 cups pak choi
2 eggs
500 g egg noodles, cooked
2 spring onions, chopped

METHOD
For the sauce
1. Mix all the ingredients.
For the spicy fried noodles
1. Heat some oil in a large pot over medium. Add the prawns and fry for 2–3 minutes, until cooked. Remove from the pot.
2. Add 3 tbsp oil to the pot over high heat. Add the garlic, spring onions and chilli and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the rest of the veggies and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until tender. Remove from the pot.
4. Over medium heat, add the eggs. Allow to set slightly and break up with a spoon.
5. Add the veg, shrimp and the sauce. Toss.
6. Add the noodles and toss. Season and serve topped with spring onion.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

Keen to try some more from this tropical paradise? Make our kingklip and coconut curry!

The post Spicy fried noodles from the islands of Indonesia appeared first on MyKitchen.