Virgin ginger & kiwi mojito

We are still in the festive mood, but realise that all the 'wining & dining' over December has taken it's toll on our waistlines... So we'll be the cutting calories with this refreshing and summery Virgin No-sugar Mojito ;)

Virgin ginger & kiwi mojito
Serves 2

Ingredients

10 cm fresh ginger, skin removed and sliced into coins
½ cup water
4 – 5 Canderel sticks
1 fresh lime
1 heaped tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
Ice
500ml sparkling mineral water

How to make it

Combine the ginger, Canderel and water in a small pot.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Cut the lime into small half wedges (16ths).
Using a mortar and pestle, bruise the lime wedges and mint. Divide between two glasses (along with the lime juice).
Pour half the Canderel and ginger mix (with the ginger slices) into one glass and the rest into the other.
Add three ice cubes and a few slices of kiwi fruit.
Top with sparkling water.
Garnish with a kiwi slice.

Serve immediately.

Braai Day Mealie Bread

Celebrate Heritage Day by serving this tasty (and easy to make!)

mealie bread as a side to your favourite braai meats.

Mealie Bread

Makes one large bread

Ingredients

4 cups self-raising flour

4 sachets Canderel Yellow

1 Tbls salt

2 large eggs, beaten

¾ cup (200ml) full cream milk

2 Tbls vegetable oil

1 tin creamed corn

100g (1 cup) mature cheddar, grated

1 Tbls butter, melted

Maldon salt crystals

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

Sift the flour, Canderel and salt together. Mix well.

Add the eggs, milk, oil, creamed corn and cheddar and gently stir to combine.

Liberally grease a large bread pan (preferably non stick).

Pour the bread mix (it should be quite wet and sticky) into the pan.

Level the mixture, paint with melted butter and sprinkle with salt crystals.

Bake for one hour (or until a test stick comes out clean).

Allow to cool in the pan before removing.

Serve with butter and any condiments of your choice – the perfect side to a braai.

TIP: Add more cheese, drained corn kernels and some bacon bits for an even more indulgent version.

Chakalaka - Heritage Day recipe

Serve this traditional South African accompaniment on Heritage Day 

(Wednesday 24 September) to add some zing to your braai meats. 

Chakalaka

Serves 8 - 10 as a side

Ingredients

1 - 2 Tbls vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, grated

½ Tbls ginger, grated

2 red or orange chillies, finely sliced (remove seeds for a milder version)

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp paprika

3 roma tomatoes, skins removed and finely chopped

1 cup warm water

3 cups carrots, grated

3 cups cabbage, finely shredded

1 tsp white or red wine vinegar

1 sachet Canderel Yellow

Salt & pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy based pot.

Add the onions and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes until tender and translucent.

Turn up the heat and add the garlic and ginger. (Add more oil if needed.) Fry for 2 minutes.

Add the curry powder, turmeric and paprika, fry for another 2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and ½ cup warm water. Cook over a low heat for 7 minutes.

Add the carrot and cabbage, stirring well. (Add more water if needed.)

Cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes until the all the ingredients are soft.

Season with vinegar, Canderel, salt and pepper.

Serve warm.

The quickest ever Sugar Free Strawberry Sorbet

Sugar free sorbet in minutes? Yes please! Dry ice and Canderel make this sorbet a guilt-free, fuss-free (and not to mention impressive to make for guests) summer treat. Use your favourite fruits or juice and creative with flavour combinations.

The quickest ever Sugar Free Strawberry Sorbet

Makes 6 large servings or 12 small servings

Ingredients

1.5 kg fresh strawberries (reserve a few for garnish)

4 – 6 sachets Canderel Yellow

2 kg Dry Ice

Method

Remove the strawberry stems and rinse well.

Roughly cut strawberries into smaller pieces.

In a liquidizer or with a hand blender, liquidize the strawberries until smooth and runny.

Add Canderel Yellow to taste. Tip: Make it slightly sweeter as the sweetness is subdued once it’s frozen.

Pour the juice into the mixing bowl of an electric mixer and attach the dough hook.

Handling the dry ice carefully (newspaper works well), break off a few large pieces with a hammer and a sharp object (about half of the block to start off with). Place the pieces of dry ice in a kitchen towel and wrap it with another. Using the hammer, bash the ice into even smaller pieces until it starts to become a powder. Using the towels, tip the pieces of ice and powder through a sieve into a bowl. Don’t use the bigger pieces that don’t pass through the sieve, rather bash them again.

Turn on the mixer and gently pour the dry ice powder into the liquid.

It will start ‘smoking’ heavily, but once the ice has been absorbed you’ll be able to see the mix. Keep on adding dry ice powder until you’ve reached a sorbet consistency. You may need to add several batches of ice powder.

Squash the mixture down into the bowl and use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the sorbet portions.

Tip: You can make it ahead and freeze the entire mix or individual portions in the freezer.

Garnish with a fresh strawberry.