Get inspired

GET TO KNOW SPICE

COMPILED BY MELISSA NDLOVU & GAIL DAMON PHOTOS: DONNA LEWIS FOOD ASSISTANT: KRISTEN SCHEEPERS

Spices can dramatically alter a dish, bringing bland ingredients to life and adding distinctive layers of fl avour and aroma. We highlight a few of our favourites

BOUQUET GARNI

WHY TOAST SPICES? Heating spices in a dry pan releases all the aromatic oils. Because fl avour compounds are fat-soluble, heating them will literally add more fl avour.

WHOLE OR GROUND? Whole spices are fresher, more fragrant and fl avourful. They keep their fl avour much longer than ground spices. Toast just before using to bring out their full taste. Ground spices are convenient and still pack quite a punch. Temper them in a preheated pan with oil or butter for 2 minutes until fragrant for best results.

Splurge: Saffron

The dried stigmas of the Crocus sativus fl ower are the worlds most expensive spice, but just a few strands go a long way. The deeper their colour, the better the quality! Subtly earthy yet sweet and fl oral, saffron straddles sweet and savoury effortlessly – from risotto and milk pudding to paella – and adds a striking golden hue to food.

SUMAC

CHILLI FLAKES

EXPAND YOUR SPICE COLLECTION

Smoked paprika: Fresh peppers are wood-smoked for days until dry, then ground to create Spanish smoked paprika. Use this spice liberally to add a smoky taste to just about anything! Choose from hot, bittersweet and sweet smoked paprika to add the right fl avour or kick to your dish.

Sumac: Middle Eastern sumac berries are harvested when ripe, dried and then ground into a deep-red coarse powder. It has a lemony scent and taste, but isn’t quite as sour with a subtle sweetness. Popular in Arabic and Lebanese cooking, this spice is similar to salt as it brings out the natural fl avours of the food.

Dukkha: Another Middle Eastern favourite that originated in Egypt, this spice-nut-herb blend can be added while cooking or sprinkled to fi nish. The most common blend consists of coriander, cumin, nuts, thyme and garlic. It works a charm on dips or fl atbreads, veg, roasted pulses or beans and chicken.

Bouquet garni: This classic mix of dried bay leaf, peppercorns, parsley stalks and thyme sprigs is a fl avourful base that adds depth to soups, stocks and stews. The ingredients are wrapped in cheesecloth – bundling them up in this way makes it easy to remove from the pot later. You can add other fl avours to your bundle, such as rosemary, lemon peel or fennel. Look for conveniently bundled bouquet garni in PnP’s spice aisle.

MADE FOR sharing

Enjoy the authentic fl avour of Pride’s new GMO-free, preservative-free and additive-free maize meal. Delicious and versatile!

GMO-free

MEXICAN PULLAPART BREAD

Combine 2 cups (500ml) cake fl our, 1 cup (250ml) Pride Super Maize Meal, 1 sachet (10g) yeast, 2 Tbsp (30ml) white sugar and 2 tsp (10ml) fi ne salt. Combine ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil and 2 cups (500ml) lukewarm water. Whisk liquid slowly into dry ingredients until well combined. Knead mixture for about 5 minutes in a stand mixer (or 10-12 minutes by hand) until a smooth dough forms. Add 4-5 sliced fresh jalapeños, 1 packet (200g) chopped and fried streaky bacon and 1 cup (125g) grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or parmesan). Knead for 3-5 minutes more. Place in a well-oiled bowl and leave to rise for 45 minutes. Roll dough into golf-size balls. Arrange in a spiral in a well-greased 20cm cast-iron pan or ovenproof dish. Allow to rise for another 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C, and bake bread for 25 minutes. Top with 1 cup (125g) cheese and bake for a further 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt just before serving. SERVES 6 (AS A SIDE)

Easter feasting These are a few of our favourite treats for the long weekend!

PnP HOT CROSS BUN DOUBLE-CREAM FLAVOURED YOGHURT Rich, creamy yoghurt meets traditional spicy-sweet Easter fl avours. What’s not to love! Enjoy this limited-edition yoghurt with your Easter brunch, or dollop on poached or roasted cinnamon apples and pears, or a baked bread pudding.

Available at selected stores

Classic Easter must-have Lindt chocolate bunnies (assorted sizes), from R11.99

PRICES AVAILABLE IN STORE

No fuss, all the fl avour PnP Fishmonger’s Pickled Fish, 500g

Treat yourself Sally Williams dark chocolate eggs with nougat, R67.99; Sally Williams hollow eggs (assorted sizes), from R54.99

Ready to party PnP celebration cakes, R179.99 each

SUSTAINABILITY: THE FUTURE OF FOOD

Taking care of our planet and taking care of our bodies go hand in hand. We see restaurants and grocery stores taking the sustainable route on their menus and in product descriptions, but what is “sustainable food” really?

The offi cial defi nition of sustainability is “the ability to maintain or improve standards of living without damaging or depleting natural resources for present and future generations”. Phew! That’s quite a mouthful and sounds like a lot of pressure. But the truth is, small changes make a big difference in the long run. Think about sustainable food as an entire process – growing and producing it, then distributing and consuming it, all while keeping the environment in mind.

STAY INFORMED

It seems like everyone’s jumping on the organic, free-range and GMO- free bandwagon these days. Don’t just accept what you read on a label or menu, though. Ask questions, dig a little deeper and really get to know more about what you’re putting on your plate and into your body.

When you opt for food that has been grown using sustainable methods, you’re making an investment in the long-term health of the environment (and yourself). When you buy food that is the product of non-sustainable agriculture, you may be helping to fund practices that harm the Earth, such as unsafe pesticide use.

CHANGE THE WAY YOU SHOP

Purchase from local farmers and producers who have implemented sustainable agriculture practices (such as organic markets or retailers with good sustainability practices). This not only ensures you have great food to cook with, but also provides fi nancial support to farmers who are taking the steps to benefi t the environment.

Quality does come at a price, though. Organic farming costs more than conventional methods, which includes rigorous production standards, certifi cation fees and handling costs. If we recognise the benefi ts for both our health and the planet’s, and the care that goes into organic food, it’s well worth the investment.

EAT CONSCIOUSLY

Conscious eating means being aware of your food choices and how the foods you eat affect not only your body, mind and spirit, but the world you live in. Eat foods that give you life, foods that are fi lled with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants and essential fats to nourish your body. If you think of your body as a beautiful machine, it makes sense to give that machine beautiful fuel.

At fi rst you might just be interested in making better food choices in order to lose weight. But part of conscious eating, of learning to love the foods you put in your body (and ultimately learning to love your body), comes from knowing how those foods got to your plate. Did they come from Mother Earth or were they made in a lab? Learn more about how food affects the human body, the environment and the animals we share the planet with, and how mass food production is affecting the future of the world.

Trend alert

Pick n Pay h laun ed a su ain e kiosk!

Nine out of ten households are not aware of the benefi ts of higher-quality eggs and that they are naturally high in do-good protein. In an effort to promote education on sustainable practices and choices, James the Freeranger has launched egg kiosks at selected PnP stores, which aim to offer a sustainable and sensory shopping experience for customers.