NO HEAT, NO EAT

Test your tastebuds with these fi ery snacks from South Africa, China and Mexico

Green chilli bites with masala-mint yoghurt dip

The jalapeños can be roasted and peeled up to 2 days in advance. The salsa roja can be made up to 3 days in advance. Both should be kept in the fridge until ready to use.

Jalapeño chilli rellenos

Chilli bites are the South African version of bhajias or pakoras, which are a popular streetfood snack in India made from chickpea flour, spices and various vegetables.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

For the yoghurt dip

260g double-cream yoghurt

2 handfuls SpinneysFOOD Fresh Mint leaves

1 garlic clove

1 lemon

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Garam Masala

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

For the green chilli bites

60g chickpea flour

65g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

1 tbsp mild curry powder

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

2-3 green chillies

2 leeks

200ml SpinneysFOOD Bottled Drinking Water

SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil

1 Place all the ingredients for the yoghurt dip in a blender and pulse until smooth. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. Refrigerate. 2 In a medium bowl, combine the chickpea flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, spices and salt. 3 Roughly chop the coriander. Deseed and finely slice the chillies and finely slice the leeks. 4 Place the coriander, spinach and spring onion along with the dry ingredients in a bowl. While stirring, slowly pour in the water until you reach a dropping consistency, adding more water if needed. 5 Preheat a large pot of oil to 180°C, if you do not have a thermometer, test the oil with a tiny drop of flour. It will immediately sizzle up. Using a tablespoon as a measure, drop the batter into the hot oil, cooking until golden, approx. 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. 6 Serve the green chilli bites with the masala-mint yoghurt dip.

Spicy, sweet, smoky and crunchy, this takeout-inspired tofu has three types of chilli in it to ramp up the heat.

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus marination time)

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

800g firm tofu

2 tbsp soya sauce

For the Sriracha mix

2 red chillies

2 garlic cloves

60g SpinneysFOOD Unrefined Raw Sugar

160ml Sriracha

3 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Salted Butter

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt, to taste

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

40g corn flour

4 tbsp SpinneysFOOD Pure Sunflower Oil

To serve

3 SpinneysFOOD Spring Onions

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD White Sesame Seeds

1 lime

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

2 If the tofu is a bit soft, wrap it in a dishcloth and press for at least 30 minutes. Slice it into 2cm cubes and combine with the soya sauce. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

3 Remove the seeds from the chilli. Peel and crush the garlic. 4 In a small pot, combine the sugar, Sriracha and butter and place over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve. Once dissolved, remove the pot from the heat and add in the Worcestershire sauce, crushed garlic, rice vinegar, salt, chilli flakes and sliced red chilli. 5 Remove the tofu from the soya sauce and toss with the corn flour. Heat the oil in a large non-stick or cast-iron pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the tofu in batches, cooking for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

6 Place the fried tofu in a large bowl and toss with the Sriracha mixture until fully coated and place on the lined baking tray. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, turning halfway. 7 Finely slice the spring onions. Serve the tofu with the spring onion, sesame seeds and lime.

Chilli rellenos is a Mexican dish traditionally made with poblano chillies that are coated in a fluffy egg batter, fried until golden and served with a salsa.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Makes: 2-4

For the Mexican spice

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Chilli Powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Crushed Chilli

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Dried Oregano

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Cumin

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Sea Salt Flakes

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Black Pepper

1 pinch SpinneysFOOD Fine Cinnamon

1 pinch ground cloves

For the chilli rellenos

8 jalapeños

50g white Gouda

1 large SpinneysFOOD Organic Free-Range Egg

20g SpinneysFOOD All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Mexican spice (see above)

¼ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

For the salsa roja

6 Roma tomatoes

½ small red onion

2 garlic cloves

1 pickled jalapeño

Handful of SpinneysFOOD Fresh Coriander

½ tsp SpinneysFOOD Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp SpinneysFOOD Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To serve

1 lime

50g SpinneysFOOD Feta Cheese

1 To make the Mexican spice, combine all the ingredients in a bow. Set aside. 2 To make the chilli rellenos, begin by roasting the chillies over an open flame, or alternatively place them on a tray in an oven set to grill and cook until their skins are blackened all over, approx. 5-10 minutes. Transfer the chillies to a zip-top bag and seal. Set aside until cool. 3 To make the salsa roja, quarter the jalapeños, tomatoes, peel and halve the red onion and peel the garlic. Then, place the tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, jalapeño, coriander and salt in a blender and blitz until smooth. 4 Heat the oil in a medium pot over a medium-high heat and add in the salsa. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. 5 Once completely cool, make a cut down the centre of the jalapeños and remove any extra seeds. 6 Coarsely grate the Gouda and stuff each jalapeño with the grated cheese. Be careful to not overstuff, making sure you can still seal the jalapeños. 7 Preheat a large pot of oil to 180°C, if you do not have a thermometer, test the oil with a tiny drop of flour. It will immediately sizzle up. 8 In a large bowl, crack in the egg white and reserve the yolk. Using a hand beater, whisk or stand mixer, beat the white to stiff peaks then fold in the yolk. 9 In a separate bowl, combine the flour, Mexican spice and salt. Coat the stuffed jalapeños with flour and dip in the egg batter to coat completely. Fry each chilli for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. 10 Zest the lime and crumble the feta. Scatter both over the chilli rellenos and serve immediately alongside the salsa roja.