It’s hard to ignore the financial impact which this pandemic has had on our pockets.
I’ve had to scale down in many areas of my life, including the kitchen, but that doesn’t mean my family and I haven’t been eating lekker.
We can tell by our tight klere.
It simply means that I’ve had to become a little more creative with my cooking.
When I am cooking from a recipe, which is very often the case, I like to have exactly what the list of ingredients requires, even if it means I have to go out and buy it.
Maar nie nou meer nie.
Not only am I op of having to carefully plan my shopping trips, but I have learned to go without an ingredient, find a substitute ingredient or just find an alternative recipe.
And let me tell you, the end result is just as lekker, if not better than the original recipe.
Cooking tasty, nutritious meals is possible even on a tight budget, all it takes is a bit of planning and thinking outside the box.
This week Chef Lungi Nhlanhla and the founder of Financial Fitness Bunnies Nicolette Mashile share tips on how to save money, shop wisely and cook creative, and budget-friendly meals.
Chef Lungi says incorporating Meatless Monday into your meal planning is one way to save.
“Not only will a vegetable-only meal save you money, but it will also provide additional nourishment for you or your family.
“Get creative with your leftovers. Roasted or grilled chicken can be used for sandwiches, salads or added to a soup,” she says.
Here are some of her favourite recipes which can easily be adapted according to what you have in your koskassie.
Happy cooking and stay safe.
SAVVY: Chef Lungi Nhlanhla
Read more here: Five tips for creating tasty and nutritious meals on a tight budget
Chicken and Vegetable Sishebo
Ingredients
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp rajah medium curry powder
6 chicken pieces
2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup of water
1 Knorrox Chicken Stock Cube
2 x tbsp Knorr Brown Onion Soup
1 tbsp Robertsons Parsley
Method
In a pot, fry the onion in oil until soft.
Add the Rajah Medium Curry Powder and fry for 1 minute to release the flavour and aroma.
Add the chicken pieces and fry for 5 minutes until well browned.
Add the frozen mixed vegetables, potatoes, water and Knorrox Chicken Stock Cube stir well and bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat and allow the dish to simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on just before serving, mix the Knorr Brown Onion Soup with 4 tablespoons of water to form a smooth paste, add it to the pot with the Robertsons Parsley and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes to thicken.
Serve with rice or pap.
Chicken and Vegetable Sishebo
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
60ml margarine
1 large onion, chopped
5ml Robertsons Coriander
5ml ginger, grated
2ml Robertsons Turmeric
500g carrots, chopped
100g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
875ml chicken stock
125ml milk
1 x Knorr Creamy Garlic and Herb Potato Bake
150ml cream
7ml honey
Method
Heat margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion, coriander, ginger and turmeric and sautè until the onions soften.
Add carrots and sweet potato to the pan and add the chicken stock, milk and sachet of Knorr Garlic and Herb Potato Bake.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.
Cook for 30 minutes until the carrots and potato are tender.
Place the soup ingredients into a liquidizer and pureé until smooth.
Stir in the cream, place into serving bowls and drizzle with a little honey and some extra cream.
Garnish with a sprig of thyme.
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup
Easy Chickpea and Lentil Curry
Ingredients
45 ml vegetable oil
2 onions cubed
1 yellow pepper cubed
1 red pepper cubed
4 ripe tomato chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
2.4 ml red chilli powder to taste
Rajah Mild & Spicy curry powder
5 ml cumin seeds
400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
Knorr Vegetable Stock Pot
salt and black pepper to taste
2 x 400 g tinned chickpeas drained
400 g tinned lentils drained
chopped fresh coriander to garnish
2 lemons cut into quarters
Method
Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onions until golden brown. Add the yellow and red peppers, and the fresh tomatoes, and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, all the spices and the tin of chopped tomatoes, then stir in the contents of the KNORR Vegetable Stock Pot.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes, then stir in the drained chickpeas and lentils.
Cook gently for a further 5 minutes, or until the chickpeas and lentils are hot.
Tip into a serving dish, sprinkle with fresh coriander and top with the quartered lemons.
Lekker Pork, Chicken and PineappleLow Cost Curry
Pork and Chicken Pineapple Low Cost Curry
500g pork, cubed
15ml oil
1 onion, chopped
2.5ml garlic, crushed
15ml fresh ginger, grated
25ml Rajah Medium Curry Powder
1 cinnamon stick
1 x Knorr Chicken Stock Pot
400ml boiling water
30ml corn flour
30ml soy sauce
30ml brown sugar
30ml tomato sauce
1 tin pineapple pieces, drained
Method
In a large pot, heat oil and fry pork cubes until browned.
Add the onion, garlic and ginger and sauté until the onion has softened.
Add the Rajah Medium Curry powder and cinnamon stick and fry for 2 minutes.
In a jug, mix the KNORR Chicken Stock Pot with the boiling water, corn flour, soy sauce and tomato sauce and stir for 1 minute with a fork.
Pour the sauce into the pan together with the pineapple pieces.
Simmer for 10 minutes, until pork is cooked through.
Serve with fluffy white rice.
BETTER FOR YOU TIPS : Ensure you trim off any excess, visible fat from your pork before cooking
megan.baadjies@inl.co.za