Hello everyone,
The Easter long weekend in Cape Town has always been about family time.
The shops are filled with everyone’s favourite Easter eggs, mallows and chocolate bunnies and both kids and adults look forward to buying their choccies and hiding away their stash for the weekend, that is if you’re lucky enough to have it last until the weekend!
Another favourite is also hot cross buns. Pillow soft, spicy sweet buns that can be enjoyed in a million different ways.
You can have it with a lekker thick spread of butter and cheese, or eat it with pickled fish, either lightly toasted or fresh, to soak up all the lekker sousies.
That brings me to pickled fish – is it even Easter if you don’t have ingelegde vis?
Although our family does not celebrate Easter, I remember always enjoying pickled fish on Easter weekend.
My gran always made a big batch and distributed it to the family in 2 litre ice cream bakkies with a six-pack of hot cross buns on the side.
The beauty of our rainbow nation is that we all respect and enjoy each other’s cultures and traditions, and this weekend we can have a double dose with both Easter and Boeberaand falling on Friday!
If you haven’t made your pickled fish yet, it’s not too late to start today, as it will still have enough time to pickle and soak in all those sweet, sour and spicy flavours.
This week I am sharing some lekker Easter recipes for you to enjoy.
Wishing all those celebrating a Blessed Easter.
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms @sprinklesandspicect or Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.
Happy Cooking and Baking
Gran’s Pickled Fish
Ingredients
* For the Snoek
1 kg snoek
Wash, rinse and drain fish of all excess water.
Sprinkle over a little salt
*Masala for the snoek
1 heaped tsp garlic flakes
1 heaped tsp jeera
1 level tsp koljana/coriander
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 level tsp salt
Method
Mix the spices with a little water to make a thick paste and rub on fish.
Dip/coat masala fish in a mixture of ½ cup self-rising flour and 1 tablespoon cornflour.
Fry in medium/hot oil for 4 minutes per side.
Allow to drain roller towel
For the pickled onions
Ingredients
7 large onions peeled and sliced into thick rings
1½ cups of brown vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup brown sugar
5 bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
1 level tsp salt
2 tbsp turmeric
2 heaped tbsp raja hot curry
¼ cup apricot jam
¼ cup Mrs Balls chutney
Method
In a large pot over a medium heat bring all the above ingredients to a slow boil, except the onions.
Once boiling, add the onions and mix well to ensure all the onions are well coated.
Bring to boil once again, reduce heat and simmer over a medium heat for 7 minutes.
Mixture should be thick and bubbly.
Place your fish in a glass Pyrex bowl and spoon over the onions and pickled sauce.
Once cooled completely, refrigerate.
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
5 cups cake flour
1 ½ packets of instant yeast
6 tbsp castor sugar
2 heaped tsp mixed spice
2 heaped tsp fine cinnamon
2 tsp ginger powder
A generous pinch of nutmeg
A generous pinch of salt
1½ cups of seedless raisins
300ml of warm milk
½ cups melted butter
2 extra large eggs whisked.
Method
Add the flour, yeast, sugar, spices, salt and raisins in a large mixing bowl.
Mix with a spoon until well combined.
Whisk the egg and add the remaining ingredients.
Mix with a wooden spoon until a soft dough is formed.
Transfer to a floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes.
Lightly oil a separate bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl.
Cover with cling and a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm spot.
Once risen, mix and make balls, transferring to a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Leaving at least a finger space between each bun.
Cover and allow to rise for 35 minutes.
After 35 minutes, in a bowl, mix 1/3 cup flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and 3-4 tablespoons cold water to form a thick paste.
Transfer to a piping bag and pipe a cross on top of each bun.
Bake in a preheated oven on 190°C for 30 minutes.
While the buns are baking, on a stove top, on a low heat add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of sugar to a small pot and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes and once buns come out of the oven, brush the hot syrup over the hot buns.
Shamima Kamrodien Chocolate Easter Cuppies
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 ½ castor sugar
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1 cup milk
1 cup oil
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
3 to 4 tbsp cocoa
Method
Mix the egg and sugar until nice and fluffy, add the vanilla essence and mix.
Add the milk and oil and mix well.
Add in 4 cups sifted flour, cocoa and baking powder and mix until smooth and lump free.
Pour into cupcake holders and bake for 12 minutes on 180°C.
Decorate with icing and add your Easter toppers.
Easter Choco egg cookies
Ingredients
250g butter
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1t vanilla
2-3 cups flour
2 tbsp cocoa
¾ cup roughly chopped speckled eggs
Method
Cream together butter and sugar until pale white.
Add the egg and essence and mix well.
Add in the flour and cocoa and mix until a soft dough is formed.
Roll into little balls and press flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Lastly add in the speckled eggs to decorate.
Bake for 15-20 minutes on 160°C.
Once removed from the oven, allow to harden on the tray.
Easter Ring Donuts
Wet ingredients
1 egg
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1 cup milk
1 tsp vinegar
Dry ingredients
2 heaped cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 heaped tbsp sugar
For the topping
Melted chocolate.
Sprinkles
Speckled eggs
Method
Whisk together your wet ingredients, add in your dry ingredients, knead to form a dough.
If dough is too sticky add some extra flour.
Roll out thinly, on a floured surface, (they do puff up) deep fry until golden and dip in melted chocolate.
Roughly chop up speckled eggs and sprinkle on top.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za