Healthy, vibrant, quick and easy, this humble vegetarian curry is packed with flavour.

Sweet potato brinjal curry

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

½ cup olive or canola oil
600g baby brinjals, roughly chopped
1 onion, chopped 
1 tsp cumin seeds 
5 cloves garlic, chopped 
2cm knob grated ginger
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric
1 can (400g) peeled and chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp sugar
2 large, sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup water
½ lemon
Salt and milled pepper
Handful chopped coriander
Bread, for serving    

Method 

1. Heat half the oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat. 
2. Add the brinjals and fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and set aside. 
3. Heat remaining oil in the same pot and sauté onion and cumin seeds until fragrant and soft, about 5-8 minutes.
4. Add garlic, ginger, chilli and spices, then saute for about 3 minutes. 
5. Tip in tomatoes, add sugar and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
6. Add sweet potatoes and water, cook for another 15-20 minutes. 
7. Stir in fried brinjals and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally and adding extra water if needed. 
8. Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice and season. 
9. Stir through coriander and serve with bread on the side. 

Cook’s note
Sop up with buttery garlic naan or parathas for the ultimate ‘utensil’. 

By: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography by: Fresh Living magazine
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine

The post Sweet potato brinjal curry  appeared first on MyKitchen.

We’ve splurged with optional creamy-yet-crispy halloumi blocks for serving to create a cheesy ‘crouton’. 

 Spiced butternut and sweet potato soup 

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

1kg cubed butternut
1kg cubed sweet potato
1 batch curry spiced sofrito
3-4 Tbsp canola oil
1L vegetable stock
2 cups water
Salt and milled pepper
1 can brown lentils, drained and rinsed
1 cup cream or coconut milk
250g halloumi, (optional)
Coriander, for serving 

Method

1. Cut butternut and sweet potatoes into 3cm cubes.
2. Combine vegetables, sofrito, oil, stock and water in a pot, adding more water if needed to cover veg. Season and bring to a boil.
3. Turn down heat to a quick simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until veg is tender.
4. Add lentils and cream, adjust seasoning and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
5. Lightly mash half of the veg, using a fork, to thicken soup. (Blitz soup, if you prefer a smooth texture.)
6. Just before serving, heat a glug of oil over medium-high heat. Fry halloumi until golden on both sides, remove and slice into cubes.
7. Serve soup topped with halloumi ‘croutons’ and fresh coriander leaves. 

Good idea
When hosting, show off a little by adding chilli crisp and fried paper-thin sweet potato slices. 

By: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography by:  Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine 

The post Spiced butternut and sweet potato soup  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Sweet potatoes are serving up major main character energy with their natural sweetness, vibrant colour, and versatility. From delicious (and nutritious) smoothies to a hearty soup, here are four ways to make sweet potatoes shine on your plate.  

Sweet potato smoothies with maca and orange 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 15 minutes  

Ingredients 

2 sweet potatoes
3 oranges
3 mandarins
10 small carrots
½ lemon
4 tbsp maca powder
3 tbsp honey
2 cups water 

Method 

1. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes, oranges, mandarins, carrots and lemon.
2. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Add water if the blender is struggling to blend all the ingredients.
3. Strain through a fine sieve or thin cloth and collect all the liquid.
4. Drink immediately with ice.

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

Sweet potatoes with honey & cinnamon butter 

Serves 4–6 // Cooking time 35 minutes 

Ingredients  

200 g butter, softened
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp chilli flakes
Pinch salt (optional)
4 large, sweet potatoes  

Method  

1. Whisk together the butter, honey, cinnamon, chilli and salt (if using). Spoon on to cling film and roll into a sausage shape, twisting the ends to close. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Wrap the sweet potatoes in double layers of heavy-duty foil and braai for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until soft.
3. Cut open the sweet potatoes while hot and top with discs of the butter.

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

Sweet potato schnitzels 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 15 minutes  

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp mixed dried herbs
2 eggs, whisked
2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1 cm thick slices
½ cup flour
1 cup panko crumbs
1 cup olive oil
Handful watercress
1 cup home-made honey-mustard sauce (recipe below)  

Method  

1. Whisk together the eggs and dried herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Dredge the sweet potato slices with the flour and dip into the egg mixture. Then coat in panko crumbs.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over high heat. Fry the schnitzels for 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.
4. Serve the schnitzels with fresh watercress and the honey-mustard sauce.

Healthy homemade honey mustard sauce 

Make your own honey mustard sauce at home by mixing together ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup Dijon mustard. Thin it out with olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency. Season with salt and cracked black pepper to taste.  

Recipes & styling: Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Samantha Pinto 

Sweet potato soup with crispy kidney beans 

Serves 4 // Cooking time 1 hour 

Ingredients 

500g purple-skin sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cups vegetable stock
½ cup kidney beans
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp paprika
Fresh thyme, to garnish  

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Wash the sweet potatoes, then use a vegetable peeler to peel long strips of skin. Place the skins on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake them for 20–30 minutes, until crispy.
3. Chop sweet potatoes into chunks and coat with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Place on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, until soft, turning them halfway through.
4. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, then remove from the heat.
5. In a large pot, heat the vegetable stock until simmering, then add the sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Purée the soup with a stick blender.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over high heat. Add the kidney beans and sprinkle with cumin and paprika. Fry until crispy.
7. Serve the sweet potato soup with crispy beans and sweet-potato skins, garnished with fresh thyme.

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

Also read: Spinach falafels, beetroot and sweet potato mash

The post 4 ways sweet potatoes steal the spotlight on your plate  appeared first on MyKitchen.

The MK team whips up a Passover-inspired feast to show off traditional flavours with twists the whole family can enjoy.   

Roasted beetroot and citrus salad 

Serves 4 • Total Time 35-40 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD  

6-8 baby beetroots, halved 
glug olive oil  
aalt and milled black pepper 
2 cloves garlic, sliced 
2 packets bok choy, blanched and refreshed 
2 grapefruits, sliced or segmented 
2 oranges, sliced or segmented 
3 spring onions, sliced 
4-5 radishes, sliced  

FOR THE DRESSING 

¼ cup soy sauce  
2 tbsp honey  
1 red chilli, sliced 
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar  
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted   

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Arrange beetroots on a greased baking tray and drizzle with oil. 
3. Season well, sprinkle with garlic and roast for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside to cool. 
4. Arrange beetroots, bok choy, grapefruits, oranges, spring onions and radishes on a serving platter. 
5. Combine dressing ingredients and season to taste. 6. Serve salad drizzled with dressing. 

Chef’s Tip: Parboil beetroots to speed up the roasting time.  

Crunchy peanut butter broccoli 

Serves 4 • Total Time 10 Min 

Ingredients 

Glug olive oil 
2 packets tenderstem broccoli  
3 tbsp peanut butter  
2 tbsp hot water  
1 tbsp soy sauce 
1 tsp chilli, garlic and ginger paste  
salt and milled black pepper 
giant salted peanuts, for serving   

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pan and sauté broccoli for about 4-6 minutes or until cooked and tender. Set aside. 
2. Whisk together remaining ingredients, except peanuts, and season well. 
3. Drizzle sauce over broccoli and scatter with peanuts. 

Chef’s Tip: This peanut sauce is great with green beans, sugar snap peas and grilled corn.  

Curried sweet potato mash 

Serves 4 • Total Time 20-25 Min 

Ingredients

800g orange or regular sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 
3 tbsp olive oil 
1 tsp garam masala 
1 tsp mild curry powder  
½ tsp ground cumin  
water, for thinning 
salt and milled black pepper 
fresh thyme, for serving  

Method

1. Boil sweet potatoes for 12-15 minutes or until soft but not falling apart. Drain. 
2. Heat oil in a pan, add spices and fry for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. 
3. Add spice mixture to potatoes and mash, adding a dash of water if needed. 
4. Season and serve hot, scattered with fresh thyme

Roasted baby marrows in smoky red sauce 

Serves 4 • Total Time 20-25 Min 

Ingredients 

2 tbsp olive oil  
1 packet baby marrows, cut into 2cm discs 
1 onion, chopped 
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped 
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1 tsp smoked paprika 
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional) 
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar  
pinch sugar
Salt and milled black pepper  
handful roasted cashews, for serving  

Method

1. Place oil in a pan over high heat and fry baby marrow until tender and browned. Set aside. 2. Fry onion and red peppers in the same pan until soft and caramelised, about 10 minutes. 3. Add garlic, spices, vinegar and sugar. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Season. 
2. Remove from heat and stir through baby marrows and cashews. Serve hot. 

Roast leg of lamb with olive salsa 

Serves 6 • Total Time 3 ½  Hours 

Ingredients

FOR THE LAMB  

2 tbsp rosemary, chopped plus a few sprigs 
salt and milled black pepper  
1 tsp paprika 
2 tbsp olive oil 
2kg leg of lamb, on the bone 
2 red onions, peeled and quartered 
2 bulbs garlic, halved 
2 cups beef stock  

FOR THE SALSA 

1 packet depipped green or black olives, sliced 
3 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional) 
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 
2 tsp fresh mint, chopped 
½ red onion, chopped
¼ cup olive oil  
1 lemon, juiced and zested 
Pinch chilli flakes 

FOR SERVING  

Baby potatoes, roasted 
Red onion, charred 
Baby spinach, rinsed  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. 
2. Combine rosemary, paprika, seasoning and olive oil. Rub lamb with mixture. 
3. Place onion, rosemary sprigs and garlic in an ovenproof dish, top with lamb and pour stock around meat. Cover with foil and roast for 2 ½  hours, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. Add a little more stock if needed. 
4. Remove foil for the last 30 minutes and increase heat to 180°C. 
5. Combine salsa ingredients. 
6. Serve lamb with salsa and potatoes, red onion and baby spinach on the side. 

Chef’s Tip: Marinate the rubbed lamb overnight to allow the flavours to fully infuse. 

Zesty lemon meringue 

Serves 6 • Total Time 45 Min, [Plus 1 Hr 20 Min Refrigeration Time]

Ingredients

FOR THE BASE 

1 packet tennis biscuits, finely crushed 
½ cup butter, melted  

FOR THE FILLING 

¾ cup milk  
¾ cup castor sugar
¼ cup cream
3 large egg yolks  
¼ cup cornflour
4 lemons, zested and juiced 
1 tsp vanilla essence  
½ cup cold butter, cubed   

FOR THE MERINGUE  

4 large egg whites 
½ tsp cream of tartar 
1 cup castor sugar
 ½ tsp vanilla essence  

Method

FOR THE BASE 

1. Combine biscuits and butter together and press into a greased 35x12cm rectangular tart tin. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes. 

FOR THE FILLING 

1. Heat milk and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. 
2. Combine cream, egg yolks and cornflour. 
3. Whisk into milk mixture. 
4. Add lemon juice and grated peel and cook for about 5 minutes, whisking vigorously until thickened. 
5. Whisk in vanilla and butter until melted. Remove from heat. 
6. Cool and pour over biscuit base. 
7. Chill in the fridge for an hour.

FOR THE MERINGUE 

1. Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl over a pot of simmering water until mixture is warm to the touch. Make sure water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl – you can even put a tea towel between the water and bowl to make sure the eggs don’t overheat. 2. Using a handheld electric whisk, whisk egg white until they form stiff peaks. 
2. Gradually add a tablespoon of sugar at a time at one minute intervals. Once sugar has dissolved completely, WHISK in vanilla 
3. Transfer meringue to a piping bag and pipe onto set curd, or simply dollop onto curd. 
4. Brown meringue topping using a chef’s blowtorch if you like. Slice and serve.

Words by Chad January
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine

The post A Traditional Jewish Passover-Inspired Feast appeared first on MyKitchen.

Have you ever tried monkfish before? It has a mild, sweet flavour, similar to lobster, making it a perfect companion to salty bacon. Serve it up as a wholesome mid-week meal with plenty of fresh veggies. We went with sweet potato and green beans.

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 40 mins

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to grease
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and boiled
Salt and black pepper
4 × 150g monkfish fillets
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
¼ tsp paprika, plus extra to sprinkle
12 rashers bacon
300g green beans, trimmed
1 tbsp mayonnaise

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C and grease a baking tray.
2. Mash and season the sweet potatoes.
3. Season fish with pepper, rosemary, zest and paprika.
4. Arrange 3 bacon rashers overlapping slightly. Place a fish fillet on top and wrap bacon around it. Repeat.
5. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry fish parcels until browned. Place on tray and bake for 10–12 minutes, until fish is cooked and bacon is crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.
6. Fry the beans in the same pan for 2–3 minutes over medium heat, until tender.
7. Mix the mayonnaise and lemon juice together.
8. Serve the fish parcels on the mash. Drizzle mayo over the beans and sprinkle with paprika. Serve the rest of the mayo on the side.

We are so lucky to live in a country where we have beautiful, fresh seafood by the plenty. A traditional paella, like this one, is always a crowd-pleaser at dinner parties or lazy Sunday lunches.

The post Bacon-wrapped monkfish with sweet-potato mash appeared first on MyKitchen.

Make our spicy sweet-potato pancakes this weekend instead of your regular pancakes! They’re loaded with chai spices and covered in syrup and almonds. YUM!

SERVES 10

INGREDIENTS
1  cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 cup milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
Oil for frying
2 tbsp butter, melted
½ cup maple syrup
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ cup almonds, toasted and chopped

METHOD
1. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and the spices together.
2. Whisk together the eggs, sweet potato, milk and brown sugar.
3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until it becomes a soft batter (it should have the consistency of yoghurt).
4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and spoon about 2 tbsp of batter per pancake into the pan. Shape into a circle. Flip over as soon as bubbles start to show on top of the pancake, and brown on the other side. Repeat until batter is finished.
5. For the syrup, combine the butter, syrup and cinnamon.
6. Stack the pancakes on a plate, top with the chopped almonds and pour over the cinnamon syrup.

Dessert meets breakfast with this delicious carrot-cake porridge recipe. Nutritious and delicious! What more could you want?

The post Spicy sweet-potato pancakes appeared first on MyKitchen.