Recently released into the marketplace, Stir! it Up sauces are doing just that – creating a stir among foodies across SA.
Conceived and created by Stellenbosch-based Nini Jerman, in answer to those ready-made-sauces that contain all sorts of preservatives, the Stir! it Up range is 100 per cent natural and combines the convenience of air-dried sauces with a long shelf-life with flavour, aroma and goodness and the promise of turning an ordinary dish into an extraordinary one.
To use the sauces, one simply adds liquid to the dried flakes, whether it be water, stock, milk or coconut cream (or a combination thereof) and the reconstituted sauce is then added to browned meat, chicken, fish or vegetables for a dish that will impress friends and family.
There are 11 varieties of sauces – five that fall into Global Range which are Asian, Italian, Mediterranean Wild Mushroom, Smoky Curry and Thai Ginger, and six in the African Range namely Moroccan Tagine, North African Chermoula, South African Braai, West African Maffé, Tunisian Harissa and West African Yassa.
The good news for those wanting to create new, exciting and tasty dishes during lockdown is that Stir! it Up sauces are available to purchase from www.stir-it-up.co.za, with orders being delivered via courier.
Minced beef chimichangas
A Chimichanga is a tortilla wrapped round a filling, typically of meat, and deep-fried. For this version, Jerman used rotis and baked them in the oven.
Ingredients
• 1kg lean minced beef
• Stir! it Up Harissa Sauce
• Stir! it Up Italian Tomato Sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 tin (400g) red kidney beans
• 1 tin (400g) chopped tomato
• 1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
• 8 Rotis, tortillas or wraps
• 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Vegetable oil
• Fresh coriander and sour cream for garnish
Method
• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Season minced beef with salt and pepper and brown in a pan.
• Reconstitute 100g Stir! it Up Harissa sauce with 2 cups hot water or stock. Add to the browned mince.
• Add chili powder, cumin, beans and tinned tomatoes to the mince. (If you like it hot, add extra chili).
• Stir to mix and cook on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes until the sauce is reduced. Add half the cheddar cheese, stir to mix and remove from heat.
• Reconstitute 100g of Stir! it Up Italian Tomato sauce with 2 cups hot water. Add a thin layer Stir! it Up Italian Tomato sauce to the bottom of an oven-proofed dish.
• If rotis/wraps or tortillas are not very pliable, heat in microwave for about 20 seconds
• Place about 1/3 cup filling towards one side of a roti. Fold over the side nearest the filling to cover the filling. Fold in the two sides and roll up. Repeat with remaining rotis. Pack filled rotis tightly on top of the tomato sauce in the oven-proof dish.
• Top rotis with the rest of the Italian Tomato sauce and cover with remaining cheddar cheese.
• Bake for about 25 minutes until golden and crispy.
• Serve with sour cream, fresh coriander and a green salad.
