Four quick sauces you can make in a hurry

When it comes to making quick sauces, I have some in my arsenal that I use when I’m in a hurry.

Some days you just don’t have the time, other days you’re too tired to cook, but if you have some quick sauces you can whip up when you need to, then you will never be stuck for what to eat.

Most of the ingredients for these sauces can be found in your fridge, or you can shop for them on your way home – the key is improvisation.

Beef Stir Fry Vegetable

INGREDIENTS

Beef Stir-fry
½ Cup Vegetable Oil
6 Scotch Bonnet
1 Large Onion
2 Large Bell Peppers
Ugu (Fluted Pumpkin) Vegetable
1 tablespoon Curry
1 tablespoon Thyme
Salt to taste
Seasoning according to preference

  Add vegetable oil to a non-stick pan and allow to heat up.

  Next add stir-fry beef (make sure it is drained of all liquid, pat dry with a kitchen tissue), stir-fry for about 3 minutes.

 Add curry, thyme, salt and seasoning cube according to your taste

      Next. add some chopped onions, stir fry till onions is translucent

      Blend or pound Scotch Bonnet and Bell Pepper together (make sure it is drained of water if you used any), stir-fry till the oil starts to separate from the sauce.

      Wash and drain Ugu vegetable then add to the sauce and stir for a few seconds.

      Take it off the heat. 

Smoked Mackerel sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 big Smoked Mackerel Fish
10 plum Tomatoes, blended
4 Scotch Bonnets, blended
2 Green Chilli’s
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Large Onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Ginger, chopped
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon Thyme
Seasoning cube according to preference
3 tablespoons Ground crayfish
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
 
 PREPARATION

• Add vegetable oil to a pot till it is hot, add chopped onions, chopped ginger and chopped bell pepper. Sauté. 

• Roughly blend tomato, pepper and onion. Add this to the pot and allow to fry till the oil begins to separate. 

• Debone and break the mackerel fish into chunks, then add this to the pot. Add chopped green chilli too.

• Add salt, thyme and season according to taste. Cover the pot and allow to cook till the oil starts floating at the top. This should take about 10 minutes. Remember to stir occasionally to avoid burning. 

• Now add ground crayfish and allow to simmer.

INGREDIENTS

6 Garden Eggs
1 Large Onion
4 Scotch Bonnets
10 Tomatoes
1 Mackerel fish (smoked or boiled)
½ Cup Palm oil
3 Tablespoons Crayfish
Handful of smoked dried prawns
Salt to taste
Season according to preference

PREPARATION

• Boil garden eggs for 5 minutes, pour cold water over it, this helps to peel off the skin easily. Chop the garden eggs or mash them.

• Blend pepper, tomatoes and onions very roughly and set aside.

• In a pan, heat up palm oil, when the oil is hot, add onions and ground crayfish and large dried prawns-this adds flavour.

• When the onion is fried, add tomato, pepper, onion mixture and stir. Allow to cook till it’s almost done-till the oil begins to separate

• Debone mackerel fish whether smoked or boiled and add to stew, then add the garden eggs.

• If you find that your sauce is a bit dry you can add water or stock if you have. Allow to simmer and it’s ready.

INGREDIENTS

¼ Cup Baking Flour
2 Large Green Bell Peppers
3 Scotch Bonnet, chopped
3 Carrots, chopped
1 Medium Onion
1 teaspoon Ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon Garlic, chopped
7 Chicken pieces
2 Cups Chicken broth
2 tablespoons Curry
2 tablespoons Thyme
2 Cups Water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Season according to preference

Allow to cook till almost done. Make sure it does not dry up so that the broth can be used to make the gravy –the better the taste and richness of this sauce, the better the gravy. Once this is ready, set aside.

  In a pan, add a dash of vegetable oil and allow to heat up. Add Onion, ginger, garlic, scotch bonnet, green bell pepper to the pan and stir-fry for a minute. Add chopped carrots and allow fry for a minute.

In a small bowl, add flour and a bit of water, then mix together to form a thick paste.

      Transfer stir-fried vegetables to the pot with the chicken; next add the flour mixture to thicken the sauce.

      Once desired thickness is achieved, combine properly and allow to cook for a few minutes.

      Taste for seasoning and adjust according to preference