A Guide To The Delicious Flavours Of South African Cuisine
If you're looking for a taste of African flavours, and wondering what South African cuisine has to offer, you've come to the right place. From street food and curries to biltong and boboties, South Africa has a wide array of gastronomic delights to offer.
South African cuisine is a mix of African, European and Asian influences. Local produce such as beef, vegetables, fruits, nuts, dairy products, and seafood are mainstays of South African cooking. Like all African countries, game meat is also featured prominently and is enjoyed in a variety of ways.
Traditional South African Dishes You Should Try
No exploration of South African cuisine would be complete without mentioning one of the nation's alluring signature dishes - bobotie. This curried mince is a combination of ground beef, onions, herbs, spices and apricot jam, and is served with either rice, roti or samp.
Another classic dish is chakalaka, a relish or sauce made with onion, tomato, garlic, chilli, beans, carrots and spices. It is often served with potjiekos, which consists of meat, vegetables, grains and beans cooked in a cast-iron three-legged pot over an open fire.
South African cuisine is also famous for its braaivleis (BBQ) and biltong, which consists of strips of dried, cured and spiced meat - typically beef or game. Biltong is often served with droewors, a type of dried sausage. Both are usually enjoyed as a snack or as a side dish.
Fish lovers will delight in dishes like shilks, cape bream, snoek and steamed mussels, all very popular in South Africa. You could also enjoy peri-peri prawns, a popular Mozambican dish.
Other South African Dishes
In South Africa, the cuisine is often associated with African cities, townships, and rural Eastern Cape townships. Here you will find traditional restaurants serving nyama (meat), fish, chicken, veggie dishes and the famous madombi in furrow with mieliemeel pap (a porridge-like dish made of maize meal).
The influence of the Cape Malay culture is also highly evident in South African cuisine. An array of curries, sambals and savoury bites are all staples of this cuisine, as well as specialties such as samoosa, bredie, bredbuzzel and restaita.
As for desserts, try any of South Africa’s exquisite traditional desserts including malva pudding, koeksisters, milk tart, and hot puddings. All of these are steeped in rich South African history. If you're looking for something fun and unique, try melopies, (fried dough dipped in honey or syrup and sprinkled with coconut).
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