07 / cooking the ina paarman way:

Celebrity Chefs have been turned into culinary stars via the power of television. Rock-star personalities perform in kitchens around the world. The problem with that is that they constantly need new and more way-out material to grab the attention of their audience.

The question it leaves us with, is how much of this hype has inspired Mr & Mrs Average to cook better? Has it guided them to look after their bodies better by preparing wholesome food at home? According to Time Magazine’s research, more and more people in America are eating in restaurants and shy away from the kitchen at home because they feel intimidated and inadequate.

My view on this is that cooking is not a competitive event to prove one-upmanship and not some high-fuluten art form to be practised by the chosen few who are highly skilled and trained. It is a craft that anybody can learn. As long as you pay attention to simple things like freshness of ingredients, temperature control, natural flavour marriages and the most suitable cooking methods.

I was very fortunate during my years of training as a home economics teacher because we had a passionate and dedicated nutrition lecturer who really sold us on the idea that you are what you eat. She also inspired us to use seasonal and available ingredients flavoured with herbs and spices to make ordinary food taste extraordinary.

My philosophy is that the only star must be the home cook in his or her own kitchen. She or he must shine in the eyes of family and friends. Good home cooking is not only good to eat, it is a great way to cement relationships and create wonderful memories for children growing up.

Teaching the skills, providing well tested recipes and good ingredients is what I have always seen as my mission. Why not try my Chicken Curry Casserole with Tomato recipe – before you start, watch the You Tube video on our website www.paarman.co.za – and be ready to cook like a pro. Sit back and enjoy the compliments.

07 / herbs and spices:
Looking back at how these condiments came to liven and brighten our food

The desire for and usage of herbs and spices in the 1500s played not only a large role in the flavouring and in colouring of food, but also in economics and politics. The so called “spice wars” were fought between the Portuguese and Dutch, later the Dutch and the English for control over the spice trade in the East. A particular spice that they battled over was nutmeg. At one time it was thought to offer a cure for the plague and on a different level it was a favourite for use in desserts. These seasonings were also not for the very poor. They were simply too expensive so only the well to do could afford them.

If one considers the distance of the journey to the east and the length of time it took to sail to the destination and then return the same way, this is perhaps understandable. Supplies could also take months to arrive.

The people of South Africa are a mixture of cultures, languages and eating experiences. When the first Dutch settlers arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, they brought with them the style of food to which they were accustomed. At this early stage the Cape could not provide for their needs. Meat had to be bartered for with the Khoi, fresh fruit and vegetables were not available. The result was to create the Company garden for such needs. Further, as ships sailed from the Dutch eastern territories into Table Bay, they brought with them items not locally available – pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves.

Time passed and regiments of German, French, Dutch and English soldiers spent periods at the Cape. In this way local people were over time introduced not only to different styles of cooking but food that used herbs and spices in a variety of ways. A future South African cuisine was slowly developing. Germans introduced sausage known as “wurst” which in time, it is said, developed into “boerewors” (farmer’s sausage) a mixture of meat with herbs and spices added. The French Huguenots possibly influenced the way food was served. Individuals could select what they wanted to eat rather than find a plate of food heaped with everything available. They also helped in improving the making of wine. The English brought with them, into this melting pot, puddings, roasts and pies.

As men and women migrated (trekked) out of the Cape towards the north and north eastern parts of what is today South Africa, provisions were not easily available so the people lived off the land, shooting available game. The meat spiced (coriander and pepper) and salted was cut into strips and dried. In many cases the spices that were needed were not available. It is quite possible that with the earlier interaction with the Khoi , San and other tribes the travellers had begun and continued to learn about how to use indigenous edible plants and herbs. To flavour the meat the crushed needle like leaves of Wild Rosemary Eriocephalus africanus might have been used.

People from Indonesia who became known locally as Malays were shipped to the Cape as slaves. Later the Indians were sent to Natal (today Kwazulu Natal) where they were employed as indentured labourers and used to work in the sugar cane fields. These people may have brought with them either the knowledge of spice and herb usage or as in the case of the Indians, curry. Curry itself is made up of a mixture of cumin, coriander, cardamom, masalas - itself another combination of chilies, garlic, ginger, salt.

Today many herbs are easily available either to grow oneself or to buy fresh or dried: basil, bay leaf, celery, dill, garlic, perscicum, lemon balm, lemon grass, mint, parsley thyme, sage. Each one adding an added taste to what one eats. A trip to the local supermarket or plant nursery is all that is needed to have a personal supply.