South Africa is a country located in the southernmost part of the continent of Africa. Best known for its mining activities, it not only boasts of the biggest economy in Africa but is amongst the most popular tourist destinations due to its rich cultural diversity and wildlife. It is not well-known for its culinary diversity but it should be. South Africa has one of the richest culinary traditions born out of life necessities and in part, brought in by Portuguese Indians and Dutch. The following overview of 10 South African foods you must eat before you die will better illustrate this.
South African Foods You Must Eat Before You Die
Boerewors
Boerewors features prominently on our list of 10 South African foods you must eat before you die. They can be regarded to some extent as African sausages and are in true sense highly spiced farm-made sausages made by the Afrikaans. The meat contained within the sausage comprises of mutton, beef, and pork seasoned with a wide variety of spices some of which include thyme, fennel, coriander, cloves, mint, ginger and red wine. Boerewors are quite tasty and a favorite for the majority of the population in South Africa
Bobotie
This is the official national dish of South Africa. Bobotie is a mild cape-Malay curry dish that features almonds, ground beef, sultanas, and egg custard. Bobotie is most commonly served with pilaf rice, another popular dish in South Africa and sambal which contains chopped tomatoes, banana, nuts, chutney, and a little bit of coconut. Meanwhile, there are many variations of bobotie that might be dissimilar with what has been described here. nevertheless, just ask for bobotie once you’re in South Africa and you’ll enjoy whatever you’re served. That’s assured.
Bunny chow
Bunny chow is another popular South African food, but it is of Durban origin. It basically entails a hollowed out half-loaf filled with delicacies. Some of the delicacies that are used in bunny chow include curry lamb, chicken or beef but in some instances, it can be vegetarian in nature.
Koeksister
This dish is a favourite amongst the Afrikaners community of South Africa. Koeksisters can be basically regarded as candied vegetables and is usually made by drenching vegetables in fat and syrup and then deep-frying them.
Pap
This is a traditional South African dish that is also native to many parts of Africa. Pap is made from ground corn and is highly similar to American grits. The ground corn is usually mixed with hot water and stirred to create a dense paste but this usually varies according to the preference of an individual. Pap comes in many variations, slap pap is a less dense version of pap and is usually runny in nature, stywe pap is a much denser version of pap and is more popular than slap pap while phutu pap is a slightly crumbly much denser version of pap. Pap is usually accompanied by meat or vegetable stew.
Waterblommetjie bredie
Waterblommetjie is a vegetable stew made from some edible form of water lilies. The name is Afrikaans and it means ‘small water flower stew’. This stew is regarded as the best company for the pap and is usually spiced to enhance its flavour. Waterblommetjie is very popular in South Africa and as such, can be considered as one of the staple foods of South Africa.
Mashonzha
Mashonzha is a traditional dish of the Zulu people but also features prominently in the list of 10 South African foods you must eat before you die. Mashonzha is basically mopane worms: mopane worms look like caterpillars but are non-poisonous and as such, edible. These worms are usually fried or grilled and are a common sight in markets within South Africa. They are usually served with peanut or chili sauce to enhance their flavor.
Frikkadels
Frikkadels is another popular South African dish considered as a favourite by many people residing in South Africa. Frikkadels is in the category of a small-sized hamburger and meatball due to their peculiar size. They are generally regarded as snacks but also features in main meals. This popular South African braised meatball is a traditional Afrikaner meal usually prepared as baked or deep-fried meatballs made with bread, onion, bread, vinegar, and other spices. They often contain seasoning, the most common being coriander or nutmeg.
Droewors
Droewors is a spiced sausage and can be generally regarded as a smaller, thinner version of boerewors but without the pork. They are usually sundried like biltong and have a longer shelf life when compared to boerewors.
Braai
Sorry vegetarians, but South Africa is all about meats and braai is a huge deal. Braai is basically roast meat. Braai as a delicacy has been elevated to the level of an art form due to its popularity amongst the general population most specifically white South Africans. The dish not only looks appetizing but is such that will live a memorable taste in you once you try it out. If you love grilled meat then try out this South African delicacy.
Tomato Bredie
Everybody obviously loves tomato bredie as the meal is commonly eaten in South Africa by natives and tourists. “Bredie” is the Afrikaans word for “stew” so, your guess is right. Tomato bredie is a South African stew essentially made of meat. The meat here refers to mutton cooked for a very long time with condiments like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and others. You’ll enjoy tomato bredie more when it’s made with a small quantity of liquid to concentrate the flavors.
Biltong
Endeavor to take a small bite each time. Biltong is best savored that way. This South African delicacy is made of spiced dried meat. A variety of meats like beef, game meats, and ostrich fillets from commercial farms are cut into strips or flat pieces. Biltongs are usually eaten as snacks, you can, however, get inventive and introduce biltong to your day-to-day meals. Whichever way, you’ll enjoy biltong.
Chicken Curry Potjie
South Africa has a good number of delicious curry recipes to offer, and chicken curry potjie is one of them. Potjie is the Afrikaans word for the pot so this meal is essentially about curried chicken.
Chakalaka
Chakalaka is awesome especially when you compliment the spicy meal with bread or pap. Chakalaka can be made in a variety of ways depending on the region and tradition of your location in South Africa. However, chakalaka is a simple spicy vegetable relish with prominent ingredients like onions, tomatoes, and beans. Go take a taste of the chakalaka felling.
Sosaties
Sosaties is a native South African dish of meat usually prepared with mutton and ingredient like dried apricots, red onions, and mixed peppers. As I said, it’s all about meats.
Mealie Soup
Mealie is a South African corn soup prepared with corn, tomatoes, and cayenne. You can take mealie soup alone or with bread. Trust me, you’ll find this creamy and slightly spiced corn recipe incredibly delicious. The sweetness of the corn combined with the tomatoes is totally cool. So perhaps if you are getting tired meals concentrated with meat a lot, you can switch over to Mealie.
Mala Mogodu
Mala mogodu or simply mogodu is a South African traditional food that has over time gained popularity all over South Africa. This meal is basically tripe served as a stew with hot pap especially during winter.