Boksburg Advertiser is giving away a Wonderbag slow cooker to two lucky readers!

But what is the Wonderbag?

It’s a revolutionary non-electric slow cooker that is helping South African families enjoy nourishing home-cooked meals while using less energy or hours in front of the stove.

The concept is beautifully simple: bring your food to the boil, place the pot inside the Wonderbag, seal it and let it continue slow cooking for hours using the retained heat – no electricity required.

By reducing the need for continuous cooking power, Wonderbag can help households save up to 70% on cooking energy per meal.

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What grandma did

Founded by South African entrepreneur and activist Sarah Collins in 2008, the Wonderbag was developed as a solution to the South African energy shortage, forcing blackouts across the country, with the aim of allowing families to continue cooking daily meals even in the absence of power.

Inspired by a method her grandmother had used in the 1970s to help save power when cooking, and similar to the concept of a haybox – which was used to keep food warm and preserve fuel during World War Two – Sarah first tested her idea by surrounding a pan of hot food with cushions after she had turned off the stove.

 The brainwave was a success, and to her amazement, the food had continued to cook for several hours!

From here, Sarah developed the Wonderbag and started taking them into communities to see first-hand the impact they could have.

The reaction was overwhelming and Sarah knew straight away that this simple idea had the potential to change billions of lives around the world.

Meaningful impact

But, beyond convenience, Wonderbag also delivers meaningful impact through the Wonderbag Foundation.

Through its work in underserved communities, the foundation helps provide access to safe, energy-efficient cooking solutions that reduce fuel usage, ease financial strain and improve everyday quality of life.

By purchasing a Wonderbag or supporting the foundation’s initiatives, consumers can play a meaningful role in helping more families cook warm, nutritious meals this winter while reducing their energy burden.

In 2020, over 60 000 Wonderbag slow cookers were produced as a well-timed response to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

The funding was provided through a socially responsible investment aimed at delivering maximum environmental and social impact.

Wonderbag partnered with PMB Community Chest and other NGOs to distribute the bags, helping families realise their full potential while also reducing carbon emissions through more fuel-efficient cooking methods.

To learn more or support the Wonderbag Foundation, visit wonderbag.co.za

To inspire your winter menu, the Wonderbag team has these hearty seasonal recipes designed to warm your table, home and heart:

CHAKALAKA
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Stovetop time: 15 minutes
Wonderbag time: 1–2 hours

Ingredients

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 white onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
2 tbsp curry powder (mild, medium or hot)
3 peppers (red, green or yellow), finely chopped
5–6 large carrots, grated
2 tbsp tomato purée
400g chopped tomatoes
400g baked beans in tomato sauce
2 tsp peri-peri spice blend
2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed

Method
Heat the oil in a lidded casserole pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly caramelised.
Add the garlic, chilli, and half the ginger. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then stir in the curry powder to form a paste. Add a splash of water if needed to prevent sticking.
Stir in the peppers and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the grated carrots, coating them well in the spice mixture. Mix in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, peri-peri spice, and thyme.
Add the baked beans. Fill the empty tomato can halfway with water and pour it into the pot. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
Transfer the sealed pot immediately into the Wonderbag and leave to cook for 1–2 hours.
Stir in the remaining ginger, season to taste, and serve hot or cold with rice.

MUTTON BIRYANI
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Stovetop time: 35 minutes
Wonderbag time: 4–5 hours

Ingredients

1.5kg mutton on the bone
2 cups whole lentils
2 cups rice
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cardamom pods
5g cumin
4 green chillies
250ml Greek yoghurt or sour milk
30g fresh tomato, chopped
2 sprigs mint
2.5g saffron
7 red chillies, crushed
6 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
375ml ghee or oil
2 medium onions

Method
Fry the onions in half the ghee or oil until pale golden. Drain and reserve the cooking fat.
Set aside 1 tablespoon of fried onions for garnish.
Place the meat in a bowl and combine with saffron, ginger, garlic, yoghurt, tomatoes, spices, remaining fried onions, mint, and chillies. Marinate for 1 hour.
Boil the lentils in salted water until tender, then drain.
Cook the rice with 2 cardamom pods and 1 cinnamon stick until half-cooked. Drain.
Fry the potatoes in the reserved ghee or oil until lightly golden. Set aside.
In a large flat-bottomed pot, heat the remaining ghee or oil. Layer a handful of rice and lentils at the base.
Add the marinated meat mixture, followed by the remaining lentils, potatoes, and finally the remaining rice.
Garnish with reserved fried onions, drizzle over remaining ghee, and add 125ml water.
Cover and simmer on high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to low heat and cook for 30 minutes.
Transfer the sealed pot into the Wonderbag and leave to cook for 4–5 hours.
Serve with fresh coriander, poppadums, and minted sour milk.

COMPETITION! ENTER NOW!

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To stand a chance of winning your very own Wonderbag, answer the simple questions below and email your answer to boksburgadvertiser@caxton.co.za with WONDERBAG in the subject line by June 26 at 10:00.

Question: Explain the simple concept of how the Wonderbag works.

Winners will be notified by email.