Hello Everyone
As we approach month end, we stress about finding ways to stretch our pennies and make our meals go a bit further.
As pay day approaches, we look forward to a lekker big shop but until then, we make magic with meals on a budget with ingredients we have on hand.
Month end is a great way to clear out all the bietjies in the fridge or freezer before you restock.
Tinned foods like fish, pulses and beans are always good to keep and are a lifesaver for month’s end.
A lekker vienna or sausage smoortjie with boontjies is perfect with rice or bread.
Another lifesaver is blikkiesvis. Pilchards or tuna in a lekker curry or even on toast with mayo is always a winner.
Last week’s baked potato recipe is perfect if you have bits of meat or chicken left.
Add it in your baked potato and top it with some cheese and you have a fancy budget friendly meal in under 15 minutes.
Another idea is using frozen veg, or simple ingredients like carrots, onions and peppers and you can take your two minute noodles or left over rice to the next level.
Simply add soy sauce and your favourite spice to make a lekker stir fry or fried rice.
This week I am sharing budget friendly recipes to help you with the month end pinch, by the talented Salwaa Smith from Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights (@capemalaycooking).
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms on Instagram @sprinklesandspicect or Facebook Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.
Happy Cooking
Love, Your Cooksister
Salwaa’s Beans & Mince Curry
Ingredients
200g mince
1-2 tins of white kidney beans
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp ground jeera/cumin
2 tsp ground koljana/coriander
2 tsp leaf or roasted masala
1 stick cinnamons
3 cardamom seeds
5 curry leaves
1 tsp chilli powder optional
1 tsp turmeric/borrie
2 green chillies, chopped (you can add more or less)
salt or to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil
Chpped green coriander for garnish
Method
Heat the oil in a pot and add the cinnamon, curry leaves and cardamom.
Add the chopped onion and braise until light brown and the onions are translucent.
Add the garlic, ginger, chillies and tomato paste.
Add the spices and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes until the spices are well blended.
Add the mince and cook over low heat about 15 minutes. Adding a little bit of water if necessary.
Add a tin or two of white kidney beans and little water and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander.
Salwaa’s Fish Frikkadel
Ingredients
500g hake fillets or 3 tins tuna chunks, in brine, drained
2 slices of bread (preferably a couple of days old)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 medium onion, chopped
½ teaspoon garlic
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon jeera/cumin powder
1½ teaspoons leaf masala (curry powder)
½ teaspoon borrie/turmeric
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
Handful chopped parsley
1 medium egg
Cooking oil for shallow frying
Method
Boil the hake in enough water to cover for 5-10 minutes. Drain well and flake.
If you are using tin tuna, drain well before using.
Soak the bread in water for 10 minutes and squeeze out all the water.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the chopped onion.
Braise until golden brown.
Add tomato, garlic, lemon juice and spices, cook 5 minutes until all the spices are combined.
Combine the fish, bread, spices with the rest of the ingredients.
Shape into flat fish cakes.
Shallow fry in medium to hot oil until brown, about 5 minutes on each side.
Dhal Curry
Ingredients
2 cups of dhal
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
1 large onion
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
2-3 chillies
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 large tomato chopped in small pieces
Freshly chopped mint and coriander leaves
Method
Wash and drain the dhal
In a large pot, add the dhal, garlic, ginger, salt and turmeric and water to cover. Cook on a medium to low heat for approximately 20 - 30 minutes (top up water to cover as needed)
In a separate pot, braise the onion in oil and butter.
Add the chillies, mustard seeds and tomato and braise for 5-7 minutes.
When the dhal is soft and ready, stir onion mixture into dhal.
Garnish generously with chopped coriander and mint.
Fried Liver And Onions
Ingredients
500g lamb liver, sliced thinly
2 - 3 large onions, sliced into rings
1 cup milk
Few tbsp flour to dust liver
Salt and pepper to taste
A few green chillies slitted to taste optional
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp cooking oil
Few tbsp of vinegar
Method
Gently rinse liver slices under cold water, and place in a medium bowl.
Pour in enough milk to cover the liver. Let it stand for an hour or two.
Remove the membrane. This step is important in taking the bitter taste out of the liver.
In the meantime, cut the onions into rings.
Heat half of the butter and oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Sauté the onions and chillies until soft and golden brown.
Add the chillies (optional) Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
Remove liver from milk.
Heat the remaining butter and oil in the pan.
Season the flour with salt and pepper and dust the liver generously.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and place the coated liver slices in the pan.
Cook until brown on the bottom. Turn, and cook on the other side until browned, about 2 minutes aside.
Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium.
Add the vinegar and cook until tender.
Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Salwaa's Spicy Chicken & Noodles
Ingredients
250g egg noodles
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 red onion sliced
½ of each green and red pepper
3 cloves chopped garlic
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp cornflour
¼ cup water
Method
Heat the oil in a wok or pan. Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the noodles according to package instructions and set aside.
Add the garlic and peppers into the pan with the onions. In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients for the sauce.
When the noodles are cooked, add the noodles to the pan and pour in the sauce. Mix and serve immediately.
For the chicken
Cut 2 chicken breasts into strips.
Spice the chicken with tandoori and/or BBQ spice and shallow fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Serve on top of the noodles
Salwaa’s Gesmoorde Eier
Ingredients
1 onion
1 tsp butter
A dash of oil
2-3 finely chopped chillies
½ tsp garlic
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly chopped coriander
Method
Sauté the onion in butter and a dash of oil.
Add the chillies and garlic.
Whisk the eggs and stir into the onion mixture.
Cook over low heat until eggs are done.
Salt & pepper to taste
Garnish generously with freshly chopped coriander.
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