South Africa is blessed with a broad collection of food. South African culture is rich and diverse and it is reflected in their broad array of cuisines. The land itself is perfect for crops and the awesome weather and sunshine helps them flourish.
South Africa is known as the “Rainbow Nation”, a term coined by Desmond Tutu, the Archbishop and later on adopted by then President Nelson Mandela, that smybolizes the range of the country’s culture and people. This variety is again mirrored on South African culinary, which contains cooking practised by original people including the Khoisan, Xhosa and Sotho speaking people, settler cuisine devised by the people of Afrikaner and British origin, the culinary of the Cape Malay folks (people who came from Malaysia and Indonesia. There is also the cuisine of people of Indian descent (motivated by Indian cuisine). Also, South African cuisine has adopted cooking elements from that of nearby nations, and this is clearly seen in a few recipes that hold traces of Portuguese cuisine – Mozambique & Angola both were former Portuguese colonies.
Some famous South African dishes include:
– Biltong – dried, salty meat (beef, chicken or even ostrich), akin to jerky.
– Bobotie – Bobotie is a dish that originated from Cape Malay that resembles meatloaf with raisins, and with a baked egg on top. The dish is offered with different accompaniments like yellow rice, sambals, banana slices, coconut and chutney.
– Frikkadel – Meatballs with bread, eggs, spices & onions.
– Mealie bread – A sweetened bread baked with sweetcorn.
– Potjiekos – A stew with vegetables, meat, rice or potato, with wine or water added. Pasta & fruits are sometimes added.
– Sosatie – A Cape Malay dish consisting of mutton marinated with onions, chillies, garlic, curry leaves and tamarind sauce, placed on skewers and later grilled or fried.
– Tomato bredie (Afrikaans: Tamatiebredie) – Mutton stew, seasoned with chillies, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and ginger.
– Waterblommetjiebredie – Meat stewed using Cape Pondweed flowers.
– Vetkoek – Dough, filled with minced or ground meat, mixed with honey and syrup, and later deep-fried.
– Malva Pudding – A apricot-flavored sponge-like sweet.
– Melktert – Melktert is Afrikaans for “milk tart”. This dessert has a pastry crust possessing a creamy filling made from flour, milk, eggs and sugar. Cinnamon is sometimes spread on top.
For further information on some awesome African recipes please browse african recipes. You can also have a look at Pakistani recipes by clicking pakistani recipes