The South African kitchen is characterized by the wide variety of ingredients introduced in the country during the colonial era. The slave and servant trade encouraged the incorporation of new foods from other regions of the world such as Malaysia or Indonesia. The Africaners, a Dutch ethnic group that occupied the lands of southern Africa, included new forms of cooking food and thus served as the basis for some of the more traditional habits of the natives.

The South African cuisine is rich in meats and boiled and spices , and some of its dishes are considered the most exotic of the continent. Do not miss the typical dishes when traveling to South Africa.

 

GASTRONOMY SOUTH AFRICA

Boerewors

This sausage, which is usually cooked over the embers, is one of the most famous and common dishes in South Africa. They can be found at street food stalls as well as at sporting events or restaurants. They are usually made with ground beef, although there is also pork and lamb, and are seasoned with spices like cilantro, nutmeg or black pepper. What is most traditional is that they are served with a spiral shape, and they are accompanied by pap, an African food very common in most of the country's dishes.

 

Pap

This side dish resembles porridge, but consists of corn flour. Sometimes it is mixed with vegetables, milk and sugar, chili or stew, with meat and tomatoes. It can be served hot or cold, depending on the dish that accompanies it or whether it is the main course of the breakfast. Pap tire is native to the Bantu tribes of South Africa, as it is part of their staple food and is very popular among the indigenous population.

 

Bobotie

This dish is one of the most common and well-known among the South African population, it is a sweet meat cake, mixed with raisins, dried fruits and covered with a baked egg. oven. It is usually served with yellow rice, and decorated with fruits like bananas or vegetables. Bobotie is native to the colonies of Jakarta, which is why curry powder is frequently included in its preparation.

 

Biltong

Served as if it were a snack, biltong consists of dried meat that can be beef, other game or even ostrich. It is usually seasoned with spices, and is mixed with ingredients that can alter its taste. Among them, vinegar, coriander, pepper, sugar or peppers. It was introduced to South Africa by the Dutch, who taught them the usual techniques for drying meat in Europe. The dish became very popular because it did not require refrigeration.

 

Bunny chow

This curry-stuffed bread was the only food that many people of color had access to before apartheid. It's a quick meal that, despite its simplicity, can also be found in many restaurants offering different varieties of breads, and even stuffed with meat or beans. Its origins are not very clear, as it is believed that it was the slaves who introduced this dish to the country.

 

Koeksuster

This candy, typical of South African cuisine, is a bun covered in syrup. Its appearance and taste is very similar to that of a donut. For its preparation, the braid-shaped bread is fried in oil and then covered with sugar syrup. The result is a very sticky candy that is eaten cold. This dish originates from Cape Malay, an ethnic group in South Africa.

 

Potjiekos

This stew, whose name refers to the casserole that is used for its preparation, contains meat, vegetables, rice and potatoes. Everything is cooked over low heat over the embers. Potjiekos originate from Dutch settlers, who introduced the Western method of preparing stews. You can put different types of meat and spices in it. The dish is so popular and has so many versions that competitions are usually held to find the best potjiekos in South Africa.

 

Vetkoek

Vetkoek is a ravioli stuffed with ground beef, sometimes with jam, honey or syrup, which has become one of the most common fast food dishes in South Africa. It can be served as a meal as well as a dessert. It can also be served with boerewors, the country's typical sausage. The vetkoek are from the Afrikaners, an ethnic group of Dutch origin who settled in South Africa.

 

Isidudu

This dish so popular in South Africa consists of its traditional pap, a kind of cornmeal porridge, mixed with pumpkin, cabbage and beef liver. Depending on the establishment or restaurant, there may sometimes be sweet potatoes, or be served with milk or amasi, fermented milk whose taste is similar to that of cream cheese or yogurt.

 

Mashonzha

Also called mopane worms, masonja or amasonja, this typical South African dish is characterized by the fact that its main ingredient is the worm. Despite this, it is considered a delicacy that has a strong acceptance in the country, especially in rural areas. It is the children and women who collect the caterpillars found in the low branches of trees, to then empty them, boil them in salt water and dry them in the sun. This dish is rich in protein and has become a very popular snack among tourists.