Category: Homemade Recipes

Attempting to make my own Nando’s peri-peri chicken recipe.

For years we were bitter that the nearest Nando’s wouldn’t deliver to our home which was only about 5kms away. But that didn’t stop us from eating at Nando’s.

In fact, if we ever spotted a Nando’s anywhere, it would take precedent over other meal options. Like seriously, we would know where to eat in a heartbeat. Nando’s!

Recently, we embarked on a slow-carb diet and boy were we happy when we realised that Nando’s has the best slow carb meals! Proteins, vegetables and beans…superb! However, Nando’s still does not deliver to my area :(

# – Kimberly’s homemade peri-peri chicken!

But it’s okay now because I can make my own peri-peri chicken at home!

For the peri-peri sauce:

  • 3 bird’s eye chillies (if want spicier increase amount up to 8 for very hot), chopped
  • 3 ordinary red chillies, chopped
  • 1 red capsicum, seeded and chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoonfuls of oregano
  • 1/2 a cup of olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 70 ml of white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons of salt

    • For the chicken:

  • 1 whole chicken, butterflied and cut into half
  • Some salt

    • By the way, the recipe for the peri-peri sauce yields about 300ml of sauce. Multiply it accordingly if you want to make more, it keeps for a month in the fridge!

    # – First, pour the olive oil into a saucepan over medium heat.

    # – Then add the white vinegar.

    # – When the oil & vinegar mixture starts simmering, throw in the chopped up red capsicums.

    # – As well as the garlic cloves.

    # – Followed by juice of half a lemon. Stir to mix.

    # – Allow the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes.’

    # – After 15 minutes, turn off the heat. Add the chopped red chillies with seeds and all.

    # – Not to forget the bird’s eyes chillies too, with seeds as well.

    # – Also the oregano.

    # – And lastly, salt. Allow the mixture to cool down slightly, about 10-15 minutes.

    # – After it has cooled down a bit, pour it into a blender.

    # – Blitz till it’s creamy and turn a bright orange. The peri-peri sauce is now done :D

    # – Now, pour about 150 ml of sauce all over the chicken (that’s been rubbed with some salt) and brush it all over. Keep the rest of the sauce.

    # – Stick the chicken in the fridge to marinade for a minimum of 3 hours or best, overnight.

    # – When ready to cook, bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees celcius for 30 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 180 degrees celcius and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.

    # – Peri-peri chicken, DONE!

    # – Serve with grilled vegetables and 3 bean salad (recipe to be posted soon). Pour the remaining peri-peri sauce over the chicken for extra oomph.

    # – And that’s how you make your own Nando’s peri-peri chicken at home.

    The chicken was succulent and full of flavours. The sauce was delicious!

    The BF said that it didn’t taste precisely like the sauce from Nando’s but it’s unmistakably a peri-peri sauce with its own special kick. Happy cooking!

    Homemade buffalo burger patties.

    Since I’ve posted about how to make burger buns, it’s only natural to follow up with how I made the burger patties.

    Everytime after I’ve made things like meatballs or burgers, I do get to wonder why people buy the frozen stuff.

    Firstly, you’d have to thaw them and secondly, they taste gross. It’s almost as time consuming, if not more to eat frozen burgers!

    Homemade meatballs and burgers are so incredibly easy and delicious in contrast. It’s not even messy to make, as some might believe.

    # – Homemade buffalo burgers.

    I’m using buffalo mince in this recipe, which was delicious! You can use beef of course :)

    The ingredients:

  • 300 grams of buffalo mince
  • 1 egg
  • 2 pickled gherkins, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons of tabasco sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
  • 3 teaspoons of of salt

    • # – First, dump the buffalo mince into a mixing bowl. Add the diced pickled gherkins as well as the 1 diced medium onion (not in picture).

    # – Flatten out the mixture and spread dijon mustard all over for an even seasoning.

    # – Add the salt.

    # – Followed by the tabasco sauce.

    # – Finally, crack an egg over the mixture.

    # – This is the fun part…using your fingers to massage and knead and mix everything until it turns into a smooth blob.

    # – Shape into 4 patties. Don’t have to be perfect…I advocate a rustic approach :D

    # – Cover and let sit in the fridge for 1/2 hour to firm up and allow the flavours to amalgamate.

    # – When ready to cook, just throw them on a hot well greased pan or griddle for a few minutes on both sides.

    # – Assemble the burgers. Lettuce, mayo, cheese, tomatoes…whatever rocks your socks.

    # – All ready for devouring.

    # – Hmmmm…juicy, meaty homemade burgers!

    Juicy, meaty and all natural. I implore you to make your own burgers!

    Honey mustard baby back ribs recipe.

    Going to steal a line from KFC here. These ribs were finger lickin’ good!

    The method of cooking these ribs is quite similar to my first attempt, the sweet and sticky ribs. I wanted a marinade that doesn’t have so much sugar and after a bit of research I stumbled upon a recipe supposedly by Julia Child (I can’t be sure) which is only sweetened by honey.

    # – Honey mustard baby back ribs.

    For the pork ribs:

  • 2 pieces of 350-500 grams baby back ribs
  • 4 star anises
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
  • 100 ml of light soya sauce
  • Enough water to cover the ribs in a pot

    • For the marinade/sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons of water
  • 2 tablespoons Tabasco
  • 3 tablespoons of honey
  • 1.5 cup of olive oil
  • Black pepper, to taste

    • # – First, pour the light soya sauce into the pot of water (enough to cover the ribs) over medium heat.

    # – Then add the cloves, star anises and cumin seeds into it.

    # – When the liquid has started simmering, add the ribs. Let it boil for 1/2 hour and then turn off the heat and leave it be for another 1/2 hour.

    # – In the meantime, make the marinade. Add the mustard, honey, tabasco sauce, balsamic vinegar, oil, black pepper & water (not in picture).

    # – Whisk all the ingredients together till combined. The marinade/sauce is now done.

    # – Take the ribs out of the liquid and lay them bone side down on a roasting tin lined with foil (to avoid too much cleanup!). Brush the marinade all over the ribs. Reserve the rest of the marinade.

    # – Cover and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.

    # – When ready to cook, stick the tin into a preheated oven at 200 degrees celcius for 40 minutes.

    # – While the ribs are roasting, brush more marinade all over the ribs for every 15 minutes.

    # – After 40 minutes, take the ribs out and pour all the remaining marinade over the ribs. Stick it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.

    # – Serve with a side of steamed vegetables and roasted root vegetables.

    # – Honey mustard baby back ribs, DONE!

    I really enjoyed making this, it’s so stress free (both preparation and cleanup). The ribs were juicy and tender; meat was practically falling off the bones! The sauce was addictive…a little sour, a little spicy and a little sweet. I can’t think of better dishes to cook for and impress a party!