Stirred by Portia

02/10/2026

BBQ and sweet chilli chicken wings.

I was too tired to do too much today 😂, so I let the air fryer do the work.

I seasoned my wings lightly with:
• Salt
• Paprika
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder
• A little oil
• A little cornflour for extra crispiness

Air-fried until crispy, then divided them into two flavours:

Warm BBQ /sweet chilli sauce in a pan, Add a little butter and Toss half the wings in it.

9 pieces of wings :
3 tbsp BBQ /sweet chilli sauce
½–1 tsp butter
1 tsp water only if the sauce is very thick.

Warm the butter first, add BBQ sauce and water, stir for about 30–60 seconds, then add the crispy wings and toss until coated.

NB:Sweet chilli is usually thinner, so you may not need water.

Tip: Start with 3 tbsp. You can always add another spoonful, but you can't take sauce away. 😁

Cooking lesson: You don't need a thick layer of seasoning on your chicken. A light, even coating is enough. Too much seasoning can make the wings overly salty or overpower the sauce, especially when you're adding sauce afterwards.

Sometimes, less really is more. 😊
ENJOY ❤️

29/09/2026

Welcome to Stirred by Portia 🥗
A little space for salads, recipes and creations from my kitchen.
This is just the beginning. 🌿🤍

28/09/2026

HOW I SAVE MY FRESH PRODUCE BEFORE IT GOES TO WASTE .
Sometimes we buy fresh vegetables and fruit with the best intentions, but before we know it, they’re starting to wilt or become overripe. Instead of throwing them away, I like to preserve what I can and freeze it for later.

SPINACH — BLANCH & FREEZE
Before freezing:
Wash the spinach thoroughly and remove any tough stems or damaged leaves.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add the spinach and blanch for about 1–2 minutes, just until it wilts and turns bright green.
Immediately transfer it to a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.
Drain really well and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
Portion it into freezer bags or containers, remove excess air and freeze.
How to use it:
You can add frozen spinach straight to soups, stews, pasta sauces, curries, omelettes, scrambled eggs or smoothies.
You generally don't need to thaw it first when adding it to cooked dishes.

CAULIFLOWER — BLANCH & FREEZE
Before freezing:
Wash the cauliflower and cut it into evenly sized florets.
Bring water to a rolling boil.
Blanch the florets for about 3 minutes.
Transfer immediately into ice-cold water.
Drain very well and pat dry.
Spread the florets on a tray and freeze them separately first. Once frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag or container.
What can you cook with frozen cauliflower?
Cauliflower soup, Curries, Stir-fries, roasted cauliflower,cauliflower rice.
Do you thaw it before cooking?
Usually, no. You can cook frozen cauliflower straight from the freezer. For roasting, using it frozen can make it release extra moisture, so drying it well before freezing helps.
freezer.

GREEN BEANS — BLANCH & FREEZE
Wash the beans and trim the ends.
Cut them into your preferred size.
Bring water to a boil.
Blanch for about 3 minutes.
Transfer immediately to ice-cold water.
Drain and dry thoroughly.
Freeze in portions in freezer bags or containers.
Use them straight from frozen in:
Stews, Soups, Stir_fries, Casseroles, Vegetable curries, Sautéed vegetables
There's usually no need to thaw first when cooking green beans.

OVERRIPE BANANAS — DON'T THROW THEM AWAY!
My bananas were getting too ripe, so instead of letting them go to waste, I peeled them, and froze them.
How I froze them:
Peel the bananas.
Slice them into chunks or leave them whole.
Place them on a tray in a single layer and freeze until firm.
Transfer them into a freezer bag or container.
What can you make with frozen bananas?
Banana bread, Muffins, Pancakes, Smoothies, Milkshakes, Oatmeal, Desserts.
Do you thaw bananas?
It depends on what you're making.
For smoothies, and some frozen desserts, use them straight from frozen.
For banana bread, muffins and baking, thaw them first. They will become soft and release liquid as they thaw — that's completely normal. Mash the banana together with the liquid and use it in your recipe.

A FEW FREEZER TIPS
Try to remove as much air as possible from freezer bags before sealing them. Label your bags with the name and date, and freeze food in portions that you'll actually use.
A little preparation now means less food waste, less money wasted and easier meals later! ❤️
What fruits or vegetables do you freeze to save them from going to waste? Share your tips below! 👇❤️

21/09/2026

And this is what those homemade chicken patties became..... 🍔

A simple homemade chicken burger, made with the patties I shared in my previous post.
Sometimes you don't need anything fancy, just a good patty, a fresh bun and whatever you have at home.

How I assembled my burger 🍔
Bun → Mayo sauce → Lettuce → Tomato → Homemade chicken patty → Mayo sauce → Bun.

If you saw the patty recipe, now you know what you can do with them.❤️

20/09/2026

Homemade chicken mince patties.

Makes: about 6–8 patties, depending on size.

Ingredients :
500 g chicken mince
½ onion, finely chopped
1 egg
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2–3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon garlic
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon mixed herbs
½ teaspoon chicken spice
Salt and black pepper, to taste
cooking oil, for the pan

Method :
1. Add the chicken mince, onion, egg, mayonnaise and breadcrumbs to a bowl.
2.Add the garlic, paprika, mixed herbs, chicken spice, salt and pepper.
3.Mix gently until everything is just combined. Don't overmix, as this can make the patties firm.
4.Divide the mixture into 6–8 portions and shape into patties. If making them thick, gently flatten the centre slightly.
5.Place them in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to firm up.
6.Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
7.Add the patties and cook for about 5–6 minutes on each side if they're thick.
7.Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for another 2–3 minutes, if necessary, until cooked through.
8.Check the thickest patty before serving — chicken mince must be fully cooked in the centre.

ENJOY ❤️

20/09/2026

18/09/2026

Cold weather called for amagwinya.

Soft, warm and freshly fried sometimes you really don’t need anything fancy.
I’m sharing the recipe too, because these are the kind of everyday recipes I want to keep here on Stirred by Portia: simple food, made at home, and worth knowing how to make.

Ingredients 4 cups flour 1 sachet instant yeast 2 tbsp sugar ½ tsp salt 2 tbsp oil About 1½ cups lukewarm water, added gradually Oil for frying

Method
Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the oil, then gradually add the lukewarm water while mixing until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Knead for a few minutes, cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size.
Knock the dough down, shape into balls and let them rest again for a little while.
Heat your oil over medium heat and fry until golden brown on both sides. Don’t make the oil too hot, you want them beautifully golden, not brown outside and raw inside.
ENJOY ❤️

12/09/2026

Easy homemade wraps

No yeast. No baking powder. Just simple ingredients and a little patience.The 30-minute rest was a new lesson for me. it helps the dough relax so it's easier to roll.

Recipe
Flour • water • oil • salt

Kitchen lesson: don't overcook them if you want soft flexible wraps
Made from scratch stirred with love.

11/09/2026

Remember my tomato puree/base? 🍅
From the freezer to the pot and straight into today’s curry.
I love having this ready in portions because it makes cooking so much easier. Take out what you need, let it melt into the pot, and keep cooking.
One tomato base → so many meals.

09/09/2026

🍋🌿 Fresh Lemon & Mint Cooler For about 1.5–2 litres:

-4–5 lemons
-1 handful fresh mint
-1.5 litres cold water
-3–5 tbsp sugar, to taste
-Ice
-Optional: a few lemon slices for serving

Method:

-Wash the mint and lemons well.
-Squeeze the lemons into a jug.
-Add the sugar and about ½ cup warm water. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
-Add the cold water.
-Gently crush/rub the mint leaves between your hands before adding them this releases the mint flavour without making it bitter.
-Add ice and a few lemon slices.
-Let it sit in the fridge for 20–30 minutes so the mint infuses.

ENJOY 😍