South Africa Essentials

🇿🇦South Africa

Biltong

Umncweba

Air-dried vinegar-and-coriander cured meat strips, bought by the bag at every butcher and eaten everywhere.

🇿🇦South Africa

Boerewors

Thick coiled farm sausage of beef and pork spiced with coriander and nutmeg; the non-negotiable centre of any braai.

🇿🇦Cape Town, South Africa

Bobotie

Cape Malay baked spiced mince under a golden egg-custard topping, served with yellow rice and sambal.

🇿🇦Durban, South Africa

Bunny Chow

Durban's hollowed-out quarter loaf filled with fiery curry, eaten with the hands straight off the counter.

🇿🇦South Africa

Potjiekos

Game potjiekos

Layered meat-and-vegetable stew slow-cooked for hours in a three-legged pot over coals, stirred never.

🇲🇼Malawi

Pap (Maize Meal Porridge)

Pap

The stiff maize-meal staple that anchors most plates, torn by hand into stews and relishes.

🇿🇦South Africa

Chakalaka

Spicy township relish of tomatoes, carrots, beans and chili spooned over pap or braaied meat.

🇿🇦Cape Town, South Africa

Sosaties

Cape Malay skewers of marinated lamb threaded with onion and dried apricot, grilled over the coals.

🇿🇦South Africa

Melktert (Milk Tart)

Melktert

Custardy milk tart in pastry with a cinnamon dusting, sold whole or by the slice at every bakery and petrol station.

🇿🇦South Africa

Malva Pudding

Malvapoeding

Sticky apricot-jam sponge drenched hot in sweet cream sauce; the standard closing act of a Sunday lunch.

🇿🇦Cape Town, South Africa

Gatsby

Cape Flats foot-long roll stuffed with slap chips, meat and sauce, built for sharing rather than finishing alone.

🇿🇦South Africa

Vetkoek

Amagwinya

Golden deep-fried dough pockets split open and filled with curried mince, cheese or jam.

🇿🇦South Africa

Koeksister

Plaited, twice-fried dough dunked in ice-cold syrup until glossy, crackling and sticky-sweet.

🇿🇦South Africa

Rooibos Tea

Rooibostee

Caffeine-free red bush tea grown only in the Cederberg, drunk black, milky or iced.