Every year on 16 October, the United Nations (UN) gathers to raise awareness around food-related issues facing the world like hunger, food security, and safety on World Food Day. As folk who love to both cook and eat delicious food, it is important to remain conscious of the resources that go into many of our favourite ingredients and the flavourful dishes they help to create. If you look at almost any recipe, you will see ‘water’ listed as an ingredient either for boiling, binding, cooling, or smoothing out an ingredient in the dish, making it one of the most important things to anyone who cooks.
To celebrate World Food Day 2023, we have rounded up some of our favourite recipes from the House & Garden SA archive, where water is an integral ingredient for flavour and texture.
Rigatoni al Forno By Cape Town’s Scarpetta restaurant
This humble family recipe that brings each ingredient to life. Salted water brings rigatoni to life by injecting savour flavour to the shells, as well as a starchy-creaminess to sauces that may become too thick. This pasta dish gently encompasses the true essence of Italian cuisine. Making use of the best ingredients you can find as the dish is honest and simple.
See full recipe here: Rigatoni al Forno By Scarpetta
Summery Sunshine Salad with Corn
The best salads (in our expert opinion), are those that are bright, colourful, and optimistic. But how can you preserve the vibrancy of some of the world’s most flavourful vegetables? Boiling or blanching your vegetables in heavily-salted water will preserve colour and natural flavours of your corn before combining it with fresh green herbs, and creamy feta. This summer salad of green and gold hues is perfect for a get-together braai or outdoor lunch to celebrate the beauty of a blooming garden.
See full recipe here: Artist-Inspired Sunshine Salad.
Home made Weekend Dim Sum and Dumplings
Learn how to pleat, fill, and cook your dim sum for a fun weekend activity with foodie friends. Depending on your preference, you can steam or fry your dim sum creations either bamboo baskets or a shallow pan. Why not invite friends over for a fun dim sum dinner party where everyone can get involved in preparing the filling and pleating their very own dumplings? Remember, making dumplings takes practice!
See full recipe here: Weekend Dim Sum and Dumplings
