Siba cooks with Simphiwe Dana
Starter – Prawns on a stick with chilli jam
Simphiwe is crazy about prawns and it’s the first thing she orders when eating out. She particularly enjoys Mozambican ones and sometimes eats them fresh and raw! Siba’s twist I grilled the prawns lightly in a griddle pan and served them with a homemade chilli jam for extra oomph.
Preparation time: 20 min
Cooking time: 10 min
Serves 4
You will need
250 g prawns, shelled with tails on and deveined
Kebab sticks
Marinade
45 ml (3 tbsp) honey
15 ml (1 tbsp) soy sauce
15 ml (1 tbsp) garlic, crushed
15 ml (1 tbsp) ginger, grated
45 ml (3 tbsp) lemon juice
Chilli jam
30 ml (2 tbsp) oil
2 onions, chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp) garlic, crushed
15 ml (1 tbsp) ginger, grated
4-6 red chillies, chopped
1 red peppers, chopped
125 ml (½ cup) cherry tomatoes
250 ml (1 cup) sugar
125 ml (½ cup) red wine vinegar
Method
1. Prawns and marinade Clean the prawns by removing the shells, legs and veins and place in a bowl. Mix together the marinade ingredients and pour over the prawns. Marinate for 15 minutes in the fridge.
2. Skewer the prawns onto the kebab sticks and heat griddle pan. Fry prawns for about 4 to 5 minutes until pink and done. Set aside.
3. Chilli jam Heat the oil and sauté onions, garlic and ginger until onions are translucent. Add the chillies, red peppers and tomatoes. Add sugar and vinegar and bring to the boil.
4. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken. Serve as a dip with the prawn skewers. Enjoy.
Main Course – Grilled polenta with honey-roasted veggies and spicy lentil tomato sauce
Preparation time: 20 min
Cooking time: 40 min
Serves: 6
You will need
Polenta
1 L (4 cups) water
Pinch of salt
310 ml (1¼ cups) polenta
25 ml (5 tsp) whole grain mustard
250 ml (1 cup) parmesan cheese
30 ml (2 tbsp) butter
80 ml (⅓ cup) cream (optional)
Roasted vegetables
1 eggplant, cubed
4 baby marrows, sliced
100 g butternut, cut into blocks
50 g mushrooms, halved
30 ml (2 tbsp) cumin seeds
80 ml (⅓ cup) honey
Spicy lentil tomato sauce
60 ml (4 tsp) olive oil
1 onions, finely chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp) garlic, crushed
15 ml (1 tbsp) ginger, grated
15 ml (1 tbsp) paprika
125 ml- 250 ml (½ – 1 cup) cooked lentils
410 g (1 can) canned tomatoes
30 ml (2 tbsp) sugar
30 ml (2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar (optional)
Method
1. Polenta: bring the water to the boil, add the pinch of salt and pour the polenta in a steady stream. Whisk until the mixture comes to the boil again.
2. Stir in the mustard, cheese, butter and cream and press the polenta into a greased pan. Cover with cling film and refrigerate until firm. Cut into fingers or triangles and fry in little oil or grill on a griddle pan until crispy and golden.
3. Roasted vegetables: in a baking tray, mix the vegetables with cumin and honey and roast in an oven preheated at 180ºC until the veggies are just cooked.
4. Spicy lentil tomato sauce: heat the oil and sauté the onions, garlic, ginger and paprika. Add the lentils and tomatoes. Stir in the sugar and vinegar and let it simmer until the mixture thickens.
5. To serve: top the polenta fingers with roasted vegetables and drizzle with the spicy lentil tomato sauce. Enjoy while still warm.
Desert – Red berry sorbet
Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 10 min
Makes about 750 ml
You will need
375 ml (1½ cups) raspberries, fresh or frozen
375 ml (1½ cups) strawberries, fresh or frozen
80 ml (⅓ cup) castor sugar
80 ml (⅓ cup) lemon juice
Served with
Fresh berries
Mint (optional)
Method
1. Heat the berries in a saucepan and add the sugar and lemon juice, stir until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Pour the mixture into a food processor and pulse until smooth; or mash with a wooden spoon until smooth.
3. Pour into a suitable container and freeze overnight. Serve scoops in a pretty bowl with fresh raspberries or strawberries. Garnish with mint.
