butter chicken
I remember vividly when and how I fell in love with Butter Chicken. The month was May, the year 2011 the place a small, ramshackle restaurant in New Delhi, India. I had been in Delhi studying since early March of that year and had months to go before heading back home to Cape Town to finish off my degree. Most of the food I had been exposed to in the city until then had not been to my liking, mainly because I did not at the time have much of a palette for hot and spicy food. One day when my friend and I went out as we often did to get out of the campus, I decided to try out Butter Chicken, which I was assured was the dish with the least heat on the menu. I was immediately hooked. For me it was the creamy texture and how the spices were tempered with yoghurt and tomatoes that made this meal a winner. Fast-forward to 2021, I’ve been enjoying this meal for a decade. The recipe below is my take on this delicious meal and I hope you can use it to switch up your chicken meals once in a while.
Scones, Scones, Scones
This is my recipe for yumminess produced in under an hour. These scones are perfect for a weekend or weekday morning. All you need to do is set your alarm an hour early to make sure that you stay in your family’s good books for an entire week! My scones are light, fluffy and golden. The sugar content ensures that they are sweet enough to enjoy on their own and not too sweet that you can’t add jam and cream. I really like adding ½ a teaspoon of cinnamon for that added bit flavour. You can also add a teaspoon of nutmeg for that additional flavour pop. Go on, give this recipe a try and let me know how popular you become in your home.
Shrimp & Chorizo Brunch Bobotie
This recipe is a modernised brunch spin on the traditional Bobotie that South Africans love. It’s got most of the spice elements of a traditional Bobotie but it’s lighter and more fun. Instead of ground beef or minced meat, I used Shrimps and Chorizo Sausage to give it that brunch feel. You can also try prawns instead of Shrimps which work just as well. I also left out the bread element which ordinarily makes the meal quite heavy. It is Spring after all so the lighter the better for those summer bodies! The addition of the fresh herbs gives this dish a freshness that’ll make sure you enjoy it during warmer days.
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I did this new recipe for a partnership I have with Megamaster as part of its Heritage Month campaign celebrating our common South African Heritage. The Bobotie was made on our Megamaster gas braai instead of the oven. We’re spending more days outside since its warmer so this is the perfect way to get more uses out of your braai while spending time with family huddled around the braai. What fun! Hint: Remember to keep your eye on the braai while the Bobotie is cooking. I hope you enjoy my variation of this age-old recipe.
