If you are anything like me, winter forces an internal debate every single evening. Am I wearing socks to bed or not, and more importantly, will those socks stay on through the night, or will they start to suffocate me in my sleep? It sounds strange to some, but it’s so real. We start counting how many mooi moois to bring out to keep the family cosy, obsessively checking if the kids are warm enough, silently and loudly questioning the general appeal ya winter. If I’m being completely honest, winter is an exhausting season to navigate, especially when it comes to finding the energy to cook. Or having to dress to the 9s and head out, I think I struggle with winter fashion. The days feel shorter, the nights are punishingly cold, and the simple act of standing by a stove can be daunting. Lately, I have not been too excited about being in the kitchen. Staring into the pantry, and making a dish from scratch can leave a home cook feeling burnt out. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, with zero thought put into supper and the evening creeping in altogether too fast, the easiest escape route was to suggest a quick pot of noodles for the family. It is the ultimate low-effort, low-stress cop-out that saves you from chopping, sautéing, and washing pots.
My entire dinner trajectory changed because of the beautiful and incredibly talented Mpho Sebina. I have been quietly observing her socials where she has been sharing some beautiful, warm, hearty dishes that look like the definition of winter comfort. She posted a gorgeous butternut soup that I immediately pinned to my mental mood board, followed closely by a rich, comforting bean soup. Both of those dishes had been living rent-free in my mind all afternoon, teasing my appetite and challenging my laziness. As I finally forced myself out of bed and made my way toward the kitchen, my mind started spiralling. Comforting winter dish or maybe a chicken noodle soup? Or maybe something with lentils? I actually picked up my phone and text Mpho Sebina directly: "FYI you're to blame for tonight’s late dinner Thank you byeeeee". I can only imagine the utter confusion on her face as she opened and read that out of the blue message. It is not usual for me to text her, it must have felt incredibly random for her. I wasn't actually mad at the songstress at all. It was quite the opposite. She completely inspired our dinner, breaking me out of my kitchen slump and making me genuinely excited to explore winter dishes again. After all, it is officially soup season!! The major hurdle was the reality of the clock and the contents of my fridge. It was late, it was a school night, and I did not have a great variety of fresh vegetables. Looking at the kids' bedtime getting closer and closer, a quick chicken noodle soup felt like the most practical option to get food on the table before the bedtime routine fell apart completely. I grabbed what I had on hand: a modest portion of chicken, some crisp carrots, a few onions, and a head of cabbage. To elevate these simple ingredients and stretch the flavour profile to its absolute maximum, I reached for my ultimate secret weapon Hinds the Strong One.
