Last-minute Christmas lunch prep without hassle

IT’S 12 hours before Christmas, and suddenly you find out Christmas at Aunty Dees is cancelled and now you are hosting. Take a deep breath, and find your way through the last-minute Christmas lunch prep.

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Do not overthink it

Now is not the time to start thinking about Gordon Ramsay’s recipes from MasterChef – not only will they be time-consuming, but they will probably also set you back a few hundred at the bank.

Instead, start prepping a few classic dishes that you have made before and are confident in. Not only will this save you time, but you’ll probably also have everything you need in your pantry. Now, start prepping.

Skip the exotic meals

Christmas is an exciting holiday, but it is not the best time to start exploring exotic dishes that you have never seen before. You certainly don’t want to end up dehydrated because of a runny tummy on Christmas. But luckily for us, South Africa has some of the best cuisine in the world, so whip it up.

Some of the perfect examples that will not leave you sick or break your bank are biryani, umfino (spinach and collard greens), butter chicken, pap and relish, braaivleis, chakalaka, roti and mutton curry, just to name a few.

Coleslaw for the win

What is a Christmas plate without coleslaw? People have gotten creative in making the salad, but even the three-ingredient recipe of just cabbage, carrots and mayonnaise will still hit home.

To add to your colourful ‘7 colours’ plate, bring the beets, with the beetroot salad. And, also, make that butternut side with just a pinch of cinnamon and a teaspoon of butter and watch how your plate lightens up.

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There’s jelly without custard

Green or red, it does not matter – bring on that jelly and custard! No matter how you decide to serve it, jelly and custard is a South African favourite where dessert is concerned, and thankfully, it does not cost an arm and a leg.

Or, if you want to show off with your final serving, go for another firm favourite – the peppermint tart. It is delicious, easy to make, and guess what, you can find all the ingredients you need at one supermarket and again save yourself much. Something sweet doesn’t have to leave you high and dry.

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