I’ve heard a saying that a woman should have at least five recipes that she’s good at.
I was flipping through channels over the weekend when I came across an American talk show and was reminded of this “rule”.
I was initially annoyed by this statement mainly because I find it to be a bit sexist, but once I got over that, it actually got me thinking about my own style of cooking and how many flop-proof dishes I have in my repertoire.
Truth is I really don’t have a long list of foolproof dishes, but my cooking skills have certainly improved in the last four years.
Another reality is I only have dishes that I can confidently share with my friends and family.
Of course, I’ve had my fair share of first-time flops, but I have come to learn wat nie dood maak nie maak vet and that’s also OK.
My first few attempts at making curry were a total disaster, I added so much water you could literally drink the sauce with a straw or confuse it for a curry soup.
But after many attempts (and, thankfully, the water shortage) I would like to believe that I have mastered the art of cooking a decent pot of curry.
However, curry is not even on my list of top five dishes.
Before I reveal my list, I must admit I’m the queen of premixed spices and cook-in spice and, trust me, it’s really not that expensive.
On the up side, the recipe is almost ALWAYS on the packaging. Yay!
So if you’re going to invite me to your home and I’m required to bring a dish, you can expect one of the following: Bobotie, Creamy Butter Chicken (I love the Shanaaz Parker recipe. It’s simple, plus the spice is already mixed and tastes amazing), Cottage Pie, Chicken a la King and my new-found favourite Spaghetti Bacon Carbonara.
Why not send me one of your top five recipes (not complicated or too expensive), and I will try them out at home and write about it?