This is where I keep every recipe I’ve tested and tweaked. From hearty Durban curries and fragrant biryanis that taste like home, to South African treats like peppermint crisp tart and eggless snowballs, easy breakfast ideas, indulgent desserts, and refreshing drinks.
Growing up, the smell of this biryani meant something good was happening. A celebration, a family gathering, a Sunday where nobody was in a hurry. My family’s version has always used a freshly blended green paste – chillies, mint, coriander, and curry leaves, instead of…
Growing up in a Durban Indian household, there was always a container of ginger and garlic paste in the fridge. My mum made it in bulk and it went into almost every pot. It elevates every dish and it far better than anything you’ll find…
These Durban chilli garlic butter prawns are spicy, buttery and garlicky. Juicy prawns are marinated in Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, and ginger garlic, then simmered gently in a rich butter sauce infused with curry leaves, garlic, coriander, and chilli. This is not your average garlic…
This Durban Crab Curry recipe is everything a proper South African seafood curry should be. This is my mum’s recipe. It’s bold, spicy, tangy, and deeply comforting. Fresh crab is simmered in a fragrant gravy of curry leaves, green chillies, tamarind, and mixed Kashmiri chilli…
A spicy baked beans recipe made with onions, curry leaves, chillies, tomatoes, and warming spices. These beans are rich, fragrant and perfect served with toast, roti, rice, or alongside a braai. Quick to make and packed with flavour, this easy baked beans recipe transforms a…
This Durban mutton curry is slow cooked with a blend of Indian spices, fresh curry leaves, ginger, garlic and potatoes until the mutton is fall-off-the-bone tender and the gravy is deep, rich, and full of flavour. A beloved dish in South African homes. This Durban…
These Whipped Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes are the ones I make when I want to genuinely impress someone. They taste deeply chocolatey and rich. And the secret? One single ganache does everything. It fills the centre and gets whipped into a light, fluffy frosting on top….
These eggless shortbread balls with chocolate drizzle are buttery, crisp and melt in your mouth. It’s made without eggs and without condensed milk using simple pantry ingredients. Unlike most biscuit ball recipes that use crushed biscuits and condensed milk for a no-bake version, these are…
This tinfish biryani is a bold, flavourful South African Durban style biryani made with pilchards, fragrant basmati rice, spiced potato chutney and boiled eggs layered together into one deeply satisfying meal. It is the sort of recipe that has been passed down through South African…
This Indian braised butternut is a simple South African Indian style dish made with just a handful of pantry ingredients. It is soft, slightly sweet, and gently spiced with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chillies. The butternut cooks down into a melt-in-your-mouth texture,…
This Durban chicken curry is a bold, flavourful South African Indian curry made with tender chicken pieces, warming spices, and soft potatoes in a rich gravy. Growing up in Durban, my mum would cook this curry every other weekend in our home. It’s the kind…
This dragon fruit chocolate magic shell smoothie bowl is a vibrant, refreshing treat made with frozen dragon fruit, banana, and a rich chocolate shell. It has a thick, creamy smoothie base with a satisfying crackable chocolate topping, finished with crunchy pistachios and freeze dried strawberry…
This honeycomb latte recipe is a creamy, café-style iced drink layered with cold milk, fluffy whipped coffee, and crunchy homemade honeycomb toffee. It’s rich, airy, and perfectly balanced with a caramel-like sweetness. The crisp honeycomb melts slightly into the drink while still adding texture, making…
Yellow rice is a rice dish made with turmeric, giving it a golden colour and warm, savoury flavour. This South African yellow rice with vegetables, often called savoury rice, is a flavourful seasoned rice dish perfect for everyday meals. Why You’ll Love This Recipe Reliable…
This Moist Orange Sheet Cake Recipe is the only orange cake recipe I will ever use! Its made with fresh orange juice and orange zest and it always comes out soft, fluffy, and packed with natural orange flavor. Baked in a large tray, this orange…
Pineapple fridge tart is a classic South African no-bake dessert made with condensed milk, pineapple, jelly, and Tennis biscuits. It has a creamy, mousse-like texture with a light tropical flavour, making it perfect for hot summer days, braais, and family gatherings. This easy pineapple fridge…
These pot roasted chicken thighs and drumsticks are a simple, flavourful stovetop dish made with pantry spices and cooked slowly until tender and beautifully roasted. The chicken is seasoned with paprika, ginger and garlic, and dried mixed herbs, then roasted gently in a flat pot…
This easy vanilla sheet cake is soft, light, and perfectly fluffy, with a moist crumb and rich buttery flavour. It’s a simple, reliable recipe that turns out beautifully every time, ideal for birthdays, tea time, celebrations, or whenever you need a classic vanilla sponge. Why…
These jam-filled lamingtons, known in South Africa as ystervarkies (Afrikaans for “little porcupines”) are soft sponge cake squares layered with raspberry jam, dipped in a rich homemade chocolate syrup, and coated in fine desiccated coconut. They’re essentially the South African take on the classic Australian…
This easy South African braised cabbage and peas recipe is a simple, flavourful side dish made with sliced cabbage, onions, dried red chillies, and baby peas. Slowly cooked until tender and lightly golden, this comforting dish is commonly served alongside rice, roti, dhal, or curry…
This easy Durban-style butter bean and potato curry is the ultimate comfort food. It’s flavourful, and made with simple pantry ingredients. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a budget-friendly family meal. Why You’ll Love This Recipe Easy-to-find ingredients: Made with everyday staples like potatoes,…
This Vegetable Biryani is a comforting Durban-style dish inspired by South African Indian home cooking. Made with basmati rice, tender vegetables, and biryani dhal, it’s slow-cooked on the stovetop and gently steamed for a deep, satisfying flavour. Why You’ll Love This Recipe A balanced vegetarian…
This indian salmon rice bowl is a flavour-packed, comforting meal inspired by classic South African Indian home cooking. The salmon is marinated in Indian spices, then pan-fried to tender perfection. The rice is a vibrant, spiced two-pot style with turmeric and mixed vegetables. It is…
These eggless jam sandwich cookies are soft, buttery biscuits filled with sweet jam and finished with a light dusting of icing sugar. This easy jam cookies recipe is perfect for school treats, gifting, and festive occasions like Valentine’s Day. These sandwich cookies are simple to…