Growing up we used to eat the same things all the time. Breakfast was mealie meal porridge, bread, tea and sometimes eggs and tomato soup. Lunch was usually sadza with sour milk or covo(type of kale). Supper was usually sadza, covo and beef stew. Sometimes we would have rice or potatoes or pasta instead of sadza. All very easy to make especially since we always had a lot of visitors. After a long day at work I can imagine that it was a lot of work for my mum to cook anything elaborate. Plus my mom is really easy to please, her attitude is so long I have had something to eat.
Even though I had been interested in trying new recipes before I went to high school, it was my food and nutrition classes that I got to learn a lot of new recipes and food. Although the recipes we used were very basic, most were new to me and a little intimidating. I remember in particular when we made kabobs, up until then I did not know what they were. Maybe I had seen them on TV or a magazine but this was my first real life experience. After we made them I was so excited I wanted to make them for my mom.
I also soon realised that all these new recipes I was learning at school required ingredients and tools that were outside my mom’s food budget. She did get me one of those hand whisks which I was very happy about.
I made some kebabs which did not turn out well but my mom loves to indulge me and did not complain.
They certainly did not look like these. I found this recipe on Cooking Classy. I love this recipe mostly because I grilled the kabobs outside so fewer dishes to clean!
Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 4 Tbsp olive oil divided, plus more for brushing grill
- 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves minced (4 tsp)
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped into 1 1/4-inch cubes
- 3 cups heaping fresh cubed pineapple (about 3/4 of 3 lb pineapple)
- 1 1/2 large green peppers diced into 1 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 large red onion diced into 1 1/4-inch pieces
Instructions
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In a mixing bowl whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Stir in 3/4 tsp pepper and season with salt if desired. Place chicken in a gallon size resealable bag. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade in refrigerator then pour remaining marinade over chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate 1 - 2 hours (meanwhile soak 10 wooden skewer sticks in water for 1 hour).
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Preheat a grill over medium heat to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over red onion, bell pepper and pineapple and toss. Season red onion and bell pepper with salt and pepper, then thread red onion, bell pepper, pineapple and chicken onto skewers until all of the chicken has been used. Brush grill grates with olive oil then place skewers on grill. Grill 5 minutes then brush along tops with 1/4 cup of remaining marinade. Rotate to opposite side and brush remaining 1/4 cup of marinade on opposite side and allow to grill about 4 minutes longer, or until chicken registers 165 degrees in center on an instant read thermometer. Serve warm.