Personally-crafted gifts from the kitchen are fun to prepare and always treasured. Candies, chutneys, cupcakes and cookies are just a few of the creations that give joy to friends and family whether they are young or old.
Give some thought to packaging your gifts attractively. Place sweets or candies in noodle boxes or in mini muffin cases in Christmas gift boxes. If you have some wine glasses you don’t need, fill them with sweets, jams or pickles. Provide a small dish in which to serve the jam or chutney with your home-made gift. Or write the recipe on a card for the recipient to keep.
A frozen home-made meal of mango chicken or beef carbonnade is a wonderful gift for a couple or a person living alone. And perhaps add a bottle of wine to accompany it. Or make a large square Christmas cake, cut it into quarters, ice, then you have four gifts.
Spice mixes or rubs for barbecue meats are another hit. Panch phoron is an east Indian Bengali spice mix used to season many dishes. It is a blend of five spices (fennel seeds, black mustard seeds, black nigella seeds, fenugreek and cumin seeds) that is aromatic and colourful. The spices are used in equal proportions, although you can vary it according to taste. To use, it is first fried in oil or ghee, which causes it to start popping but develops the flavour.
Indian strawbery chutney
Makes 3 cups
To prepare panch phoron, combine 1 teaspoon each of fennel seeds, black mustard seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek and cumin seeds. Lightly roast in a small frying pan for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Set aside.
1kg strawberries
1 tablespoon grated root ginger
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 teaspoons panch phoron (from recipe above)
1-2 small red chillies, chopped or left whole
1/2 cup white vinegar
grated rind and juice 1 small lemon
- Wash and hull the strawberries, then cut into quarters or slice. Combine with the root ginger and sugar in a large stainless steel saucepan. Stand for 1 hour.
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan. Add 2 teaspoons of the panch phoron and the chillies and fry for 30 seconds. Add to the strawberries. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the vinegar and lemon rind and juice and simmer until a jam-like consistency is reached, about 15-20 minutes. Pour into hot sterilised jars, sprinkle with the remaining panch phoron and seal.
- Best enjoyed when freshly made. Store in a cool place. This chutney is excellent served with curries, cheese, barbecued meats or cold cuts.
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Balsamic caralmelised walnuts
Makes 3 cups
spray rice bran oil
3 cups walnuts halves or large pieces
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Heat the oven to 150°C.
- Line a large baking pan with baking paper. Spray with the oil.
- Place the walnuts in a large bowl.
- Combine the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add to the nuts and toss to coat well.
- Scatter onto the lined pan. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Cool completely.
- Break up the nuts and store in airtight containers.
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Christmas muesli
Makes 7 cups
An untoasted, less sweet muesli can be prepared by combining all the ingredients except the butter and maple syrup
4 cups rolled oats
½ cup each: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
1 cup pistachio nuts
170g packet craisins
2 tsp ground cinnamon
75g butter, chopped
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup goji berries
- Heat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a large roasting pan with butter.
- Combine all the dried ingredients — except the goji berries — in a large bowl.
- Place the butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Heat on low until the butter is melted. Stir well. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour into the roasting pan. Bake for about 20 minutes stirring well every 5 minutes.
- Cool completely, add the goji berries, then store in airtight containers.
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Peanut butter and marshmallow fudge
Makes about 24 pieces
Use wet scissors to cut the marshmallows. I use Pic’s Peanut Butter
400g dark chocolate chips
1 cup smooth peanut butter
3½ cups marshmallows cut into quarters
½ cup chopped toasted peanuts or macadamia nuts
- Lightly grease a 23cm square pan or similar.
- Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter together in a saucepan on low heat. Stir, until smooth.
- Fold in the marshmallows and nuts. Pour into the pan and chill, until set.
- Cut into squares and package in attractive containers. Store in the refrigerator.
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