From cars to hair straighteners, people have discovered that they can cook their food in creative ways. How many of these would you try?
Electricity has become an expensive commodity in South Africa and many people are constantly looking for ways to save on their monthly bill. Turning off lights, using a microwave to cook food instead of using a stove or oven, or bathing in cooler water have become the order of the day.
Some people take electricity saving to new heights and have devised outlandish ways to cook basic food. We found some of the more bizarre options available and while they might well work, some of these ideas sound seriously dodgy and it may be safer to use more traditional ways of getting food on the table.
1. Ironed steaks
Place a steak on a piece of tin foil. Add seasoning and oil and wrap the foil ensuring that the meat is entirely covered. Take an iron and press it down for five minutes on either side to cook the steak medium rare. The same method can be used to make toasted sandwiches.
2. Fried pizza
Cook a frozen pizza in a frying pan. Grease the pan, and cover with a lid. Leave until the cheese has melted and the crust is crispy. It's worth noting that a number of people say this method makes the pizza far more tasty than those cooked in the oven.
3. Dashboard biscuits
Make biscuits in your car. This method, according to those in the know will only work when the outside temperature is 40°C so will probably only work in the summer months. Make some biscuit dough and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Place on the dashboard and leave the rest to the sun. Don't keep opening the doors to check on the progress because this will lower the temperature; rather keep an eye on the proceedings through the windscreen. The cooking time will vary depending on the temperature (it can take up to five hours to bake the perfect bikkie using this method and although the temperature won’t be enough to transform your creation into little brown nuggets of heaven, it will cook all the ingredients adequately.
4. GHD bacon
Use your hair straightener to cook bacon. We highly recommend you only use a device that won't be going anywhere near anyone's hair again because the cooking process leaves an oily, messy residue that is going to impact the straighteners ability to do its real job. Place the bacon over the heated inner plates and cook. It may not be a quick fix, but it certainly gets the job done.
5. Brown bag breakfast
Cook your breakfast in a brown paper bag. Line the bottom and part of the sides of the bag with strips of bacon. Crack an egg on top of the bacon and fold the top of the bag over. Place on the braai. Those who use this trick say that the bacon fat will stop the bag from catching alight and that the food is cooked when the grease mark reaches halfway up the bag.
6. Meals on wheels
Use your car’s engine to cook your food. There's an entire cookery book, called Manifold Destiny that offers recipes to those who like to cook on the run. Although precautions need to be taken as to where you place the food items - apparently blocking the airflow will cause numerous problems and pulling on wires in order to place the food on the engine is a no no - there are numerous dishes that can be cooked while driving. The book doesn't only supply recipes, but also gives an indication as to where the food should be placed on the engine (apparently some parts get hotter than others) and how far you need to drive in order to cook the food. You’ll have to travel 400kms if you want to enjoy the so-called Cruise-Control Pork tenderloin, however don't fret if you're not planning a long distance trip because it only takes around 57kms to cook Cajun prawns or crayfish.
Personally, we feel you might just find it easier to light a braai and kickback and relax while the fire works its magic. You’ll save electricity and get to spend some quality outdoor time with the family.
