Main course: Spice for all season

Hilary Biller takes five classic spices and shows you how to use them

Sumac

GRILLED AUBERGINE AND HALOUMI SALAD

250g haloumi cheese, cut into 2.5cm slices

7.5ml (1½ tsp) sumac

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 long aubergines (exotic ones look pretty), sliced thinly lengthways

Olive oil

200g (1 packet) mixed salad leaves, e.g. rocket, baby spinach, watercress

125ml (½ cup) green olives, pitted

125ml (½ cup) canned chickpeas, drained

Handful of pine nuts (or use toasted almonds)

Rub the haloumi slices in sumac, lemon rind and half the olive oil and set aside. Preheat a griddle pan, brush the aubergine slices with olive oil and char-grill on both sides till nicely marked. Place aubergines in a serving bowl with the salad leaves, olives and chickpeas. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice and season. Just before serving, fry the haloumi in a non-stick pan on both sides. Add to the salad and finish off with a sprinkling of nuts. Serves 4-6

Star Anise

Finger-licking sticky chicken wings

45ml (3 tbsp) soy sauce

45ml (3 tbsp) oyster sauce

3 star anise

3cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange

30ml (2 tbsp) golden syrup or honey

600g chicken wings

30ml (2 tbsp) sesame seeds

In a large baking dish combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, star anise, ginger, garlic, orange rind and juice and syrup. Mix well and add the chicken wings, ensuring they are well coated. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake the chicken wings till sticky and golden brown, about 40 minutes, turning after 20 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with coleslaw and lots of paper napkins. Serves 4

Cumin

Spicy pancakes with cauliflower filling

Pancakes:

10ml (2 tsp) cumin seeds

30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

120g (1 cup) wheat flour

Salt and pepper

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

275ml full-cream milk, plus extra if needed

Oil, for frying

Cauliflower Filling:

1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets

Oil, for frying

5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin

2.5ml (½ tsp) ground turmeric

2.5ml (½ tsp) cayenne pepper

5ml (1 tsp) salt

To Serve:

250ml (1 cup) full-fat plain yoghurt

Bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped

For the pancakes, dry-fry the cumin seeds in a pan till aromatic, then add half the olive oil with the chilli, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Sift in the flour, mix well and season. Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg and half the milk. Whisk together until smooth.

Add the remaining milk and continue mixing till smooth, then whisk in the remaining 15ml olive oil. Cover and rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. For the cauliflower filling, heat a pot of oil till hot enough that a cube of white bread browns in 30 seconds, then fry the cauliflower florets till golden brown on the edges. Remove from oil and place on paper towel to drain. Combine the cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt. Sprinkle over the hot cauliflower and toss to mix.

To fry the pancakes, heat a large, non-stick frying pan, add a little oil, swirl around and pour off excess. Whisk the batter and add a little more milk if too thick. Pour a ladleful of batter into the pan and swirl to cover the base. Cook for a minute, then flip and cook the other side. Remove and keep warm while repeating for remaining batter. To serve, mix the yoghurt and coriander together. Place a spoonful of cauliflower filling in each pancake, drizzle with a little yoghurt mixture and roll up. Serves 4-6

Coriander Seeds

Spicy butterflied fish

Spice Paste:

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin

5ml (1 tsp) paprika

5ml (1 tsp) coriander seeds, roughly crushed

125ml ( cup) chopped fresh parsley

125ml ( cup) chopped fresh coriander

60ml (4 tbsp) olive oil

Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 30ml (2 tbsp) boiling water

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2.5ml ( tsp) ground cinnamon

Other ingredients:

1 whole fish, cleaned and butterflied, e.g. dorado, yellowtail or farmed kabeljou

Coarse salt

Prepare a braai (gas or other) or preheat the oven to 200°C. Combine the garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, coriander seeds and fresh herbs in a pestle and mortar and pound into a paste with the oil. Mix with the saffron (including liquid), lemon zest and cinnamon.

Place the fish skin side down on a baking tray or piece of foil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Spread the paste over the fish and allow to stand for 15 minutes before cooking on the braai or in the oven, without turning, until done - about 15-20 minutes depending on size. Serve immediately with salad. Serves 4-6

Saffron

SAFFRON CURRANT CAKE

2.5ml (½ tsp) saffron strands

150ml boiling water

480g (4 cups) wheat flour

5ml (1 tsp) salt

30ml (2 tbsp) caster sugar

100g butter, cut into blocks

10g (1 sachet) instant yeast

175g currants

Finely grated rind of ½ a lemon

150ml lukewarm milk

Place the saffron in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and leave to soak overnight, then strain and reserve the liquid. Sift the flour, salt and caster sugar into a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle over the yeast and mix through the currants and lemon rind. Add the lukewarm milk and strained saffron liquid and mix to form a soft dough, adding more milk if necessary.

Grease or spray a 20cm round cake pan and pour in the batter. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise to the top of the pan, then bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and bake for a further 30 minutes. Remove and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve with butter. Makes 1 cake