Over the years, a number of talented women have contributed to Independent Media’s Lifestyle platform.
In honour of Women’s Month – and the other 364 days a year – we have gathered some of our all-time favourite recipes to showcase the work of some of these renowned chefs.
Get your pans and pots out and start cooking!
Imifino served with oxtail by Siphokazi Mdlankomo
Ingredients
30ml oil
1kg oxtail
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
Sprigs, fresh thyme and rosemary
1x 410g can chopped tomatoes
15ml brown sugar
Salt and pepper
300ml red wine
500ml beef stock
500ml water
5ml salt
2 fresh corn off the cob
3 baby marrow chopped
2 handfuls chopped spinach
450g maize meal
Method
Heat oil in a pot and brown oxtail.
Add onion, garlic, and herbs, and cook for 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add wine and stock, cover pot, and allow to simmer for 3 hours or until oxtail is tender.
For imifino
In a pot pour water and bring to a boil.
Add salt, corn, baby marrow, and spinach, and cook for 2 minutes.
Whisk in maize meal, then using a wooden spoon stir until combined.
Close the lid and simmer on very low heat for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally or until cooked.
Jenny Morris’s ultimate French toast
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Chocolate ganache
250ml cream
200g 70% dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tbs butter, at room temperature
French toast
8 slices of bread
3 – 4 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp honey
¼ tsp ground cardamom
Extra butter, for frying
1 tsp oil, for frying
Garnish
Chocolate ganache
Raspberries
Icing sugar, for dusting
A few mint leaves
Method
Let’s get going with the chocolate ganache. Heat the cream in a small saucepan, and stir in the chocolate till it melts.
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, one small piece at a time, to make sure it is properly incorporated, then whisk till the ganache starts to thicken. Cool and set aside till needed.
Place the eggs, honey, and cardamom into a bowl, and blend together well.
Soak the bread in the egg mixture, taking care not to over-soak.
Heat some butter with a teaspoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan, and fry the bread till lightly crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.
To assemble, place French toast onto a plate. Top with ganache and raspberries, garnish with a sprig of mint and finish off with a dusting of icing sugar.
Tip: Use large simple-shaped cookie cutters to ring the changes. Place the bread onto a flat surface and cut circles, triangles, hearts, or whatever you fancy, out of the centre of each slice before soaking and frying.
East African-style fish curry by Dorah Sitole
Serves: 4
Ingredients
45ml oil
500g hake or Cape Whiting steaks
2 red onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
15ml grated ginger
2 chillies, chopped
15ml curry powder
45ml curry paste
10ml turmeric
65g can of tomato paste
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
6 curry leaves, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
250ml coconut cream
Coriander for garnishing
Method
Heat oil and brown the fish steaks on each side for about 5 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
Add onions, garlic, ginger, and chillies to the pan and sauté until the onions are soft.
Add curry powder, curry paste, and turmeric, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, except coriander, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Return fish steaks to the sauce, bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes until the fish is cooked.
Gently fold through coriander leaves.
Serve with basmati rice.
Rice paper rolls by Kamini Pather
Serves: 6
Ingredients
For the rice paper rolls and filling
8 rice paper wraps
4 bulbs pak choi, thinly sliced
3 small carrots, sliced on the diagonal
A thumb-sized piece of ginger cut into matchsticks
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 tbs black sesame seeds
1 lime, to serve
For the fish option
100g white fish, sushi grade is preferable
2 limes
Salt and pepper
1 tbs chopped fresh coriander
For the chicken option
8 strips of chicken breast
1 clove garlic, crushed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
For the tofu option
4 cured strips of super firm tofu
1 tbs black bean paste
Olive oil
For the dipping sauce
3 matchsticks of ginger
3 tbs Kikkoman Ponzu citrus-infused soya sauce
1 tbs chopped fresh coriander
Method
In a deep plate or saucepan, rehydrate the rice paper wraps by covering them with water. Allow to sit in water for 5-8 minutes until fully translucent.
Season the chicken. Add the crushed garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and place onto a hot griddle pan. Cook through until tender and golden.
Pour the black bean paste over the tofu, drizzle with olive oil, and cook on a hot griddle pan.
Slice the fish into 5mm slices. Squeeze over the lime juice, season with salt and pepper, and a few coriander leaves. Now allow this ceviche to sit for 20 minutes to cook through and “cure”.
To make the dipping sauce, dice 3 matchsticks of ginger, top with citrus-infused soy and a few coriander leaves.
Prepare the pak choi, carrots, and any other veggies you wish to incorporate.
To assemble your wraps, carefully place a rice paper wrap onto a flat surface. Fill with any combination of fish, tofu, chicken, and veggies of your choice. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and the chopped chilli if you feel like a bit more spice.
Serve alongside the dipping sauce and lime and enjoy.
You can read the latest Food digimag here.