Weekly Menu Ideas: 19-05

For the Love of Salt

One thing South Africans and the Dutch undeniably have in common? A deep, unapologetic love for fries.

In South Africa, we call them chips—or more affectionately, slap chips. Thick-cut, soft, soaked in vinegar, and best eaten out of brown paper with your fingers. The classics? Masala and vinegar, or just vinegar—but always, always with a generous amount of salt. Even the most bland takeaway chips will be resurrected by a few enthusiastic shakes of that familiar white shaker.

Salt is non-negotiable. It’s part of the flavor, part of the memory, part of the culture.

Then I moved to the Netherlands, where fries—or patat—are just as beloved, but treated very differently.

Here, fries are golden, crispy, and often served in perfectly shaped paper cones. The Dutch take them seriously: there are entire shops dedicated only to fries. But instead of seasoning them with salt, they drown them in sauce. And the fancier the fry shop, the wider the friet saus selection.

Salt, if it’s used at all, is subtle—almost invisible. Here, it’s not a flavor in itself, but a quiet background dancer meant to enhance everything else.

I didn't say I liked it... I just said I understood it.

Just when I thought I was wrapping my head around Dutch flavor logic, another surprise came my way.

A few weeks into my Dutch journey, I received a beautifully wrapped branded chocolate bar at the office. It looked harmless enough—milk chocolate, caramel swirl. I took a confident bite… and immediately froze.

Salt. In the chocolate.

That’s when I learned that the Dutch have a much-loved chocolate flavor: milk chocolate with caramel and sea salt. Turns out, this is where the salt had been hiding all along.

After three years here, I still haven’t gotten used to the Dutch approach to salt.

But I’ve also learned to appreciate how the Dutch use salt with intention—whether it’s a whisper in a chocolate bar or a light dusting beneath a layer of truffle mayo.

Do you prefer your fries salty or saucy? Or maybe salty and saucy? Let me know in the comments.

Weekly Menu - 12 May

Monday

School Lunch: Pizza Rolls

Dinner: Khuri, Rice and Aloo Fry

Tips for this idea:

Khuri is a nice Monday night meal after the start of the week. Once my mom showed me this recipe it has become a household staple for use. For aloo fry, you thinly slice potatoes and then fry these in hot oil, once you have made the potatos crispy and add salt and masala.

Khuri Recipe

• 1 & 1/2 Tablespoons Ghee or Butter

• Two Curry Leaves/ Bay Leaves

• Two Chili's Sliced

• 1 teaspoon of Jeera seeds

• 1 teaspoon of Chana flour

• 1 teaspoon of tumeric

• 750 ml of Yoghurt / Sour Milk

In a hot pot, heat the ghee until melted, add in the curry leaves, chillis and jeera seeds and mix it well into the ghee for a few minutes. Then add in the chana flour and tumeric and mix it until well combined. Once this is nicely mixed add in the yoghurt, you need to mix the yoghurt continuously until the yoghurt reaches the boiling point then you can take it off the stove and enjoy.

Tuesday:

School Lunch: Salami and Cheese Sandwiches

Dinner: Roasted Chicken and Potato Bake

Tips for this idea:

This meal is easy to prepare, it requires minimal effort but is not energy efficient unless of course you add the chicken to roast in the airfryer with some herbs and spices.

Wednesday:

School Lunch: Flapjacks

Dinner: Fish Cakes & Spicy Rice

Tips for this idea:

Fish cakes can easily be replaced by hashbrowns or chickpea and lentil kebabs for an easy vegan meal. For the spicy rice, I usually add butter, coriander, carrots and peas to the rice to make it nice and wholesome for the whole family.

Thursday:

School Lunch: Sliders

Dinner: Pesto Gnocchi

Tips for this idea:

This meal is easy to make and literally is perfect for lazy nights. The cream can be substituted for coconut cream for the most delicious flavor.

Gnocchi Pesto Pasta Recipe

For this recipe you need:

• 1 tablespoon of butter

• 300g of basil pesto - if you need help making your own pesto I have a saved recipe for this

• 750g of Gnocchi pasta

• 500 ml of fresh cream/coconut cream

Add Gnocchi to boiled water - once the gnocchi rises to the top, it is ready and can be strained.

Add the butter and pesto to a pan and cook on low heat, once it starts to cook well together add in the cream. Once this is all mixed together add salt and pepper to the mixture and then stir in the cooked gnocchi.

Friday:

School Lunch: Toasted Cheese

Dinner: Family Burger Night

Tips for this idea:

Family burger night is usually easy, it's easy to make and everyone can get what they like whether its vegan patties, crumbed chicken or smash burgers.

Saturday:

Lunch: Toasted Steak

Dinner: Chicken Schwarma & Green Salad

Tips for this idea:

This recipe can be made from grilled chicken in italian herbs or cooked in a yoghurt with herbs. Adding a green salad, served with pita bread is ideal for a Saturday afternoon.

Sunday:

Lunch/Supper: Cottage Pie

Tips for this idea:

Cottage pie is a lovely way to end off the week, it can be made for anyones taste as the base of the meat can be made stew like or even as a more spicey dish topped with mash potato and cheese.

I hope this makes this week easier for you. If you feel like you this is something you need for the weeks ahead, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas for next week. ♥️