If you don't have time to soak/activate your cashews, soak nuts in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain and use as directed.

Using good-quality vinegars is important to the outcome and quality of the finished product.

Remove frozen cubes from ice cube trays and keep in a zip lock bag in the freezer for easy use in recipes.

This is beautiiful spicy condiment used in North West African and Middle eastern cuisine.

The glaze will thicken as it cools. To test if your glaze is cooked, place a metal spoon into the mixture. The glaze should coat the back of the spoon in a nice thick syrup-consistency.

Serve with nasi lemak, fried rice or as base for any stir fry dish.

Serve with cheese or as a condiment for meat or fish or with an Indian curry meal.

To marinate chicken, use a sharp knife to cut slits 1 cm deep into the chicken pieces- 3 slits per drumstick and 4 to 5 per thigh. Place the chicken in a large dish. Spread the marinade all over the chicken and leave to marinate for at least 12 hours in the fridge, but not more than 2 days . Bring chicken to room temperature before grilling on a BBQ or using the grill setting on high in your oven. Turn the chicken as often as needed to prevent burning but allow it to develop a dark char for maximum flavour.

You can purchase black garlic from supermarkets, delis and speciality food stores.

For best results, all ingredients and mixing bowl must be at room temperature.

Slightly unripe fruit has higher pectin levels, so will assist your paste in setting.

Be sure to use clean utensils and sterilised jars for best results. (Tara keep tips as is)

The glaze will thicken as it cools. To test if your glaze is cooked, place a metal spoon into the mixture. The glaze should coat the back of the spoon in a nice thick syrup-consistency.

After opening, store chutney in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Fresh chillies come in different strengths. Removing the seeds will tone down the spiciness.

Fresh tomato sauce: instead of chopped tomatoes, use 800 g fresh plum tomatoes, quartered. After adding the ingredients in step 2, chop 15 sec/speed 5 and proceed with recipe, extending cooking time to 30 minutes .

Bragg's® liquid aminos is a gluten free liquid seasoning made from soybeans. It contains essential amino acids. You can replace with soy sauce, to taste, if desired.

This recipe can be used to marinate 500 g meat (chicken, pork or beef) or vegetables (e.g. mushrooms, brinjals, squash etc).

You can replace the roasted unsalted peanuts with raw peanuts.

Fresh chilies come in different strengths. Removing the seeds will tone down the spiciness.

Dip can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.