met my husband, Brian Mtongana, while studying in Cape Town. It was the beginning of a life-long friendship, partnership and love affair – even if my parents did make him wait seven years to marry me! He has been my biggest supporter from my early days as an assistant lecturer at university, during my time as a food editor, my first and subsequent TV shows and now, most importantly, in publishing this book. He has contributed massively to achieving this shared dream. And, best of all, we have two boys – Lonwabo and Linamandla – the crowning glory of our lives. And, letting you in on a secret, we have a little girl on the way!
My palate has evolved over the years, flirting with a range of local and global trends as they appear and fade again. Travelling has exposed me to so many wonderful flavours and ideas, many of which pop up over and over in my recipes. Traditional fare has also retained a strong presence; and my three boys’ tastes are also a strong influence. Brian is a great sounding board. When I try something new and ask his opinion, he’ll be kind but totally honest.
FOOD SHOULD BE BEAUTIFUL AND TASTY, BUT EASY TO MAKE
Whatever the style or taste, my overriding concern is convenience. I believe food should be beautiful and tasty, but easy to make. I don’t want to intimidate people by using ‘in’ terms and phrases. I want to show people how to make dinner in no time; and I want to provide the kind of tips that will make something you whipped up in under an hour look like you’ve been slaving over the stove all day.
You’ll always find tinned tomatoes and a variety of tinned beans, pastes, rice, maize meal and lots of veggies in my pantry. With these basic ingredients, you can produce so many awesome dishes in almost no time.
As a mother and wife, I often think about health and nutrition. It is a truism that our eating habits affect our health, state of mind and longevity, yet the prevalence of obesity, diabetes and heart disease continues to rise. As I see it, my challenge is to create recipes and menus that delight all our senses, but are also nutritious. Instinctively, I feel that my mom’s emphasis on vegetables in our diet at home was right, which is why you’ll find a lot of greens and low GI foods in my recipes. But, I am by no means rigid in my approach. A slice of cake or a wonderful dessert now and again can do wonders for one’s mood. I guess the old adage that prescribes moderation in everything still holds true.
In our household, Sunday mornings are church and family time, followed by the traditional feast. You’ll find some of my favourites in the meat and fish sections. We’re also great salad eaters as you’ll see from my salads and sides section. They’re all incredibly easy to make and take very little time. I hope that you’ll be inspired to put on that apron and get busy in your kitchen. Jazz it up, experiment and share with friends. This is my gift to you!
WEEKEND GRANOLA
THIS IS MY ALL-TIME FAVOURITE GRANOLA RECIPE. IT ALWAYS WORKS AND IT’S EVERYTHING I EXPECT A GRANOLA TO BE: CRUNCHY, WONDERFULLY AROMATIC – THE SMELL OF CINNAMON WAFTS THROUGH THE HOUSE WHILE IT’S BAKING – AND ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. WE LIVE SUCH BUSY LIVES AND WE’RE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO HAVE BREAKFAST TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, BUT ON WEEKENDS WE GO ALL OUT AND, WHETHER FOR BREAKFAST OR BRUNCH, THIS IS ON THE MENU.
PREPARATION TIME: 10 MIN
BAKING TIME: 25 MIN
COOKING TIME: 5 MIN
MAKES 1,5-LITRE JAR
250ml oats
110ml desiccated coconut
40ml wheat germ
110ml pumpkin seeds
60ml sunflower seeds
50g whole Brazil nuts
50g whole pecan nuts
50g whole raw almonds
5ml ground cinnamon
100ml dried cranberries
60ml banana chips
SYRUP
60ml dark brown sugar
90ml butter
180ml honey
2ml vanilla extract
SERVE WITH
berry sauce (see page 199 for recipe) and plain yoghurt, to taste
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C and lightly grease a baking tray with butter. Place the oats, desiccated coconut, wheat germ, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, Brazil and pecan nuts, and almonds in the baking tray along with the cinnamon, and mix well.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until crispy and slightly golden. In the meantime, make the syrup: heat the sugar, butter and honey in a saucepan for 5 minutes, stirring until well combined and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
Remove the toasted mix from the oven and pour the syrup over it, mixing until all the ingredients are coated in the syrup.
Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before adding the dried cranberries and banana chips.
Allow to cool completely before placing into a sealable, clean storage jar. Serve the granola with a berry sauce and plain yoghurt or a bit of milk if you prefer. It’s also nice as a snack.
Siba’s tip…
You can safely store this Weekend Granola for up to 3 weeks in a sealed jar, preferably a glass one, once it has cooled down completely.
CLICK TO WATCH A VIDEO ON HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
CAPE TOWN TARTS
WHEN I DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME TO SPEND ON MAKING BREAKFAST, THIS IS MY GO-TO RECIPE. ONCE ALL THE INGREDIENTS ARE PREPPED, IT’S A MATTER OF MIXING EVERYTHING INTO A JUG, LINING EACH MUFF IN TIN WITH THE PROSCIUTTO AND POURING THE MIXTURE OVER IT. THEN I LET THE OVEN DO THE COOKING WHILE CARRYING ON WITH OTHER THINGS!
PREPARATION TIME: 15 MIN
BAKING
