Sunflower Chips

These chips take me back to my youth. Walking down the streets in Harare and Bulawayo and smelling these chips from a block away. They as good as they smell and ain't no chips like them.

Serves 4-5

6 - 8 potatoes  -I use Rooster potatoes (pref potatoes for roast)
Sunflower oil
Malt vinegar
Salt

Prepare potatoes as usual for chips.
Parboil chips in boiling salted water for at least 3mins.
Remove from pot and pat dry.
Preheat oil or deep fat fryer, fry chips until golden brown, remove from oil drain sprinkle with malt vinegar and salt and serve in brown paper bag or plastic packet.

Pickle Fish

Pickle fish again is a Southern African speciality and is served Easter time on Good Friday. I don't mind eating it anytime of the year, it is that wonderful. For those of you not familiar with this dish it is kind of like a curried fish that can be eaten hot or cold and at least 2 days after preparation.

I have tried so many recipes for Pickle Fish this has got to be the best so far.

Serves 4-6 people


Ingredients:
1kg plain cod/ hake/ whiting fish (not smoked)
6-8 medium fresh and firm onions cut into thick rings
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp tumeric
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cloves
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp salt
2 beaten eggs (for dipping fish)
1 cup flour (for dipping fish)
cooking oil


Method:
Cut up fish into good chunky 8cm x 8cm pieces. 
Dip fish into egg and coat in flour. Do this twice as to create a double coating.
In a pan fry fish on both sides until golden brown. Do not over fry as it will dry out the fish.
Place fish in a pyrex dish that you will be storing it in. 
In a pot add about 6 tbsp cooking oil. Heat the oil and fry the seeds only till you can smell the aroma. 
Add onions and powder spices and sauté lightly. 
Add water, sugar, vinegar and salt. Simmer on a medium heat for 15 mins. 
Allow the mixture to cool down and pour over the fish. 
Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 2-3 days.


Serve with hot cross buns.

Koeksisters

These are my all time favourite childhood treats and about the first confectionery I learnt to make at the age of 11years. They originated in South Africa and are pronounced cook sisters. They easy to make like child's play and once mastered you cant go wrong with them. They great for guests coming over to tea or an anytime sweet.

You will need the following to make 24+

For the dough
4 tbls margarine / butter
1 egg

2 cups plain flour

2 ts baking powder

1 heaped tbl spoon mixed spice

1 level tbl spoon cinnamon

1 level tbl spoon ginger
6 tbl spoons milk

Syrup
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cinnamon stick

Method

Syrup:

Prepare the syrup a day before. Add all ingredients and slowly bring to boil. Once it
starts boiling remove immediately form heat and leave to cool. Place in a sealable lunch box in the fridge till the next day when ready to use.

Dough:

In a mixing bowl place all dry ingredients. Add butter or margarine and rub into flour till breadcrumb consistency.
In a jug beat egg and milk together till mixed well. Make a well in the centre of your flour mixture.
Using your four fingers begining to mix the egg mixture with the flour mixture slowly.
Do not pour all the milk and egg mixture in one go into the flour mixture.
The aim is not to overhandle the mixture and make it too sticky. Once it form a nice ball, cover and set aside for 1 hour.

Heat a pan with enough oil to deep fat fry (a deep fat fryer will do as well).
Take walnut size pieces of the dough, roll well into sausage shape and press with your 2 fingers down - not too flat.
Fry in medium hot oil until golden brown, drain off oil well, dip them directly into the cold syrup, turning them once in the syrup and placing them into the colander to drain excess syrup (do not oversoak them in syrup).

Sprinkle with coconut and serve once cooled down with a hot cup of tea.

Peri Peri Chips

I love these chips they low fat and go perfect with Nando's peri peri chicken.

What you will need:-

A good quality ready cut oven chips pref McCanns

Cook oven chips as per package instructions.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with peri peri chip powder

For the peri peri chip powder:-

2 tbls paprika
1 teaspoon birds eye chilli powder
1/2teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Nata's Hot Peri Peri Chicken

For all of you that love Nando's chicken this recipe is as close as you will ever get to the real deal. Ive tried loads of other recipes trying to reproduce the flavours and this has got to be the BEST EVER. It's rich in taste and makes the chicken soft and infused with loads of flavour. It is best when marinated 24hours prior to BBQ/Grill or oven cook. If in a hurry at least 2 hours will do.


1 x 1.5kg Chicken with skin, washed  butterflied and scored to get spices into flesh
6 tbl of fresh lemon juice
2 tbls soya sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 tbls paprika
1 whole bulb garlic
1 tbls worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon chinese 5 spice
2 tbls extra virgin oil
2 tbls extra hot Nando's sauce
1/2 teaspoon birds eye chilli powder

Blend all above ingredients and rub into chicken. Cover or seal in a zip lock bag and leave to marinate for at lease 2 -24hours.

Cook on bbq until juice runs clear or in oven at 180 degrees for 1 hour (it may vary depening on your oven. I use a fan assited oven.)

Serve with mixed green salad, potatoe salad and peri peri chips (recipe to follow)