In Takkies and T's

Grilled Fish As Summer sets in we embrace our long days and short nights. Braaied/grilled meats or fish served with salads and accompanied by chilled drinks are often the favourites at casual lunches and dinners during South African Summers.  One of my favourite Summer dishes is grilled fish. The inclusion of fish in one’s diet is in general a good source of protein, it is good for the heart and it is said that if one wants to improve brain power, include some omega 3 fatty acid in your diet – fish is loaded with this!  Preparation of fish can be a bit of a daunting task when one has to de-gut the freshly caught fish and remove the scales etc. This recipe is dedicated to a great fisherman in my family, who didn’t just catch the best fish, but also de-gutted it and scaled it for me … this always made my preparation of fresh fish really easy.  Fresh fish can be bought at your local fish markets or fish monger, and they will usually do all the preparation and cl

Okra Okra is quite popular amongst locals in many countries but surprisingly still, not many people know of okra, its taste or benefits. Okra is a vegetable that grows long and tapers towards the ends resembling fingers, hence it is commonly known as lady fingers. However, in different countries it is named differently, e.g. in India it is called bhindi, in America it is known as gumbo and in the Middle East it is called bhamiyah. There are a few variations of okra due to the different climates it is grown in around the world. Okra is either long or short and some varieties are burgundy but mostly green in appearance but, the taste is the same. Interesting to note is that the leaves, stems and flowers of the okra plant are all edible. Benefits Okra has numerous nutritional and health benefits. Nutritional benefits includes amongst others that it is a good source of fibre, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and K. Health benefits

Gulab Jamun It goes without saying that a Diwali or Eid platter is incomplete without Gulab Jamuns. Gulab Jamuns are just classic amongst an assortment of sweatmeats at every festivity or prayer offering. The easiest way to describe a Gulab Jamun is “it is an Indian doughnut” but indeed a decadent doughnut! Just one Gulab Jamun will satisfy any sweet craving as it is loaded with sugar from the use of condensed milk all the way to being dunked in the sugar syrup – this is the truly authentic way to prepare this delicious sweetmeat! Store bought Gulab Jamuns sold per kilo, are pricey.   Sometimes a price would indicate that it would be a daunting task to prepare, but the method to prepare Gulab Jamuns is really easy and the ingredients used can be found in just about every grocery cupboard in an Indian household. Here is my mum’s recipe which I have adapted for a smaller quantity. Followed to the end, my Gulab Jamuns turn out perfect every time! Gulab J

Blissful Banana Tart  So you bought a dozen bananas and they are ripening too quickly, you could probably eat 2 a day … ever wondered what to do with them without having to discard them too soon? Yes, you could prepare banana smoothies or bake a banana cake or bake some banana muffins.     I have a fun, super easy and not to mention, a delicious recipe to share.   It can be prepared in a really short space of time, it’s my Blissful Banana Tart .   I refer to it as “blissful” because it gives me great joy to bake this tart and I feel happy doing so! Blissful Banana Tart Recipe  Preparation time: 10 minutes Baking time: 30 minutes Ingredients 400g puff pastry All-purpose flour for dusting 3 ripened bananas 20g dark chocolate 2 teaspoons smooth peanut butter Icing sugar for dusting Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper and set it aside. 2. To prepare a chocolate and peanut

Hungarian Tart  Hungarian Tart Hungarian Tart is a good example of a golden oldie … its goes back generations and remains a favourite in households across diverse cultures internationally.  There are many names to this delicious tart, but it is more commonly known as “Jam Tart”. Many will agree that it is often one of the favourite tarts found amongst the sweetmeats and savouries set in colourful platters, which are exchanged by family and friends during Diwali, Eid and other festivals.    I would never forget Jam Tarts. I helped my mum bake Jam Tarts as a child and my job was to grate the dough over the jam before it went into the oven.  I was told by mum that it was a very important job, and so every time we baked Jam Tarts, I would wait anxiously to grate the dough with pride! Jam Tart is a really tasty, easy to bake tart, not to mention that it can be ready in just 45 minutes from the preparation to baking time.  It is fun to prepare especially with little