Eat, the beloved country

[Woestynryer]

TRADITIONAL DISHES
Eat, the beloved country
Posted Fri, 30 Jul 2004

South Africa is home to many ethnic and racial groups, many of them immigrant communities, who have all contributed to the rich cultural mix of the country. Travelling in SA just wouldn't be complete without a bit of culinary experimentation along the way.

But what can you expect when the menu talks about maotwana and serobe? The list of dishes below are just a few of the ethnic dishes of particular groups. Many of the recipes have since been adopted by other groups and are no longer the preserve of the group of origin. This list is not exhaustive by any means and represents only a sample of South African food. So if you're feeling brave, go on and eat the beloved country!

Achaar
Imported to South Africa by migrant Indians, achaar is a salad made of mango and oil which is served spiced. Eaten in excess, it's said to trigger an offensive smell from the armpits!

Amanqina
A hoof of a cow, pig or sheep. It is boiled, then spiced for taste. Apparently delicious, but sticky.

Biltong
Dried and salted raw meat similar to the beef jerky made in the USA. An old Afrikaner delicacy, biltong can be made of ostrich, beef, kudu or any other red meat.

Bobotie
Of Malay origin, bobotie is made with minced meat and curried spices. An egg sauce is poured on top of this and it is then baked.

Boerewors
A traditional spicy South African sausage made of beef or lamb. Popular at open-air braais (barbecues) where it is grilled over charcoal.

Chakalaka
A salad of Indian/Malay origin made of onion, garlic, ginger, green pepper, carrots and cauliflower spiced with chilies and curry.

Chotlo
A delicacy of the Tswana people, chotlo is meat cut into extremely small pieces with the bones removed. The meat is first boiled, then ground before being put back into the pot and stirred until it becomes very fine. A treat for the toothless.

Frikkadel
Traditional South African meat balls. Made of tomatoes, onion, minced beef and other ingredients, shaped into round balls.

Gherkin
A small pickled cucumber, often sliced thinly and used in salads or on hamburgers.

Koeksisters
A traditional Afrikaner treat, these plaited dough cakes are syrupy, sweet and very sticky. Best served with strong 'moerkoffie'.

Mala
Intestines, usually those of a chicken. They are thoroughly cleaned, cooked in boiling water, then fried. Often eaten with pap (see below).

Maotwana
Legs of a chicken boiled to remove the hard skin. They are then thoroughly washed and salted, then fried. A cheap meal often served to school children.

Mashonzha
Also known as mopani worms, these worms are similar to caterpillars in appearance and live in and around mopani trees found in the Lowveld areas of Mpumalanga and the Northern Province. They are especially popular with the Shangaans, Vendas and Bapedi of the Northern Province.

Mogodu
Tripe, thoroughly cleaned, then boiled for two to three hours. Once softened they allowed to simmer before being served with pap.

Morogo
Wild spinach; delicious when boiled, softened and served with stiff porridge.

Pap
Boiled corn meal, often served with 'sous' - a sauce usually made of tomato and onions.

Rooibos tea
A popular South African herbal tea made in the Cape from the Cyclopia genistoides bush. Rooibos is an Afrikaans word meaning "red bush". Rooibos has no caffeine and less tannin than tea.

Samoosa
A small, spicy, triangular pie that has been deep-fried in oil. Made by the Indian and Malay communities, samoosas are popular across South Africa.

Serobe
A dish of the Tswana people. A mixture of tripe, intestines and lungs which are thoroughly washed and boiled. They are then cut into small pieces with a pair of scissors before being spiced to taste.

Snoek
A tasty fish usually caught off the Cape coast. If you're lucky you may get to experience a 'snoek braai' — barbecued over an open fire it's a real South African treat!

Skop
Head of a cow, sheep or goat. The head is first scrubbed with a sharp instrument (such as a razor) to remove the skin. Unwanted parts like the ears and nose are then cut off before the head is boiled and allowed to simmer. A traditional delicacy favoured by African men.

Ting
A dish favoured by the Tswana people in both South Africa and Botswana. It is a sour porridge made of sorghum. A great soft porridge for breakfast!

Umnqusho
A delicacy among the Xhosa people, umnqusho is samp mixed with beans. The samp is boiled for over three hours before being mixed with beans. Salt and oil are then added and the dish is allowed to simmer.

http://travel.iafrica.com/searchsa/333130.htm

[liza81]

Here's a couple more variations

[konsalik]

woestynryer,

as jy nou vassteek by die snoek gedeelte dan praat ons mos nou van koningskos. twee lekkernye afkomstig van die snoek is die kuite en die kop. die kuite word op 'n verskeidenheid maniere berei maar my gunsteling is om dit met gegeurde meel te sprinkel en dan in die vet gaar te maak. geniet saam met vars gebakte brood met moskonfyt. die kop word skoongemaak en kan gebak, gebraai of self in sop gebruik word, njammies.

[liza81]

Maar jinne, mens leer elke dag 'n nuwe ding, nê? Ek het nou wragtig waar nie geweet dat 'n snoek kuite het nie!

[Odin19]

Originally posted by konsalik
...die kop word skoongemaak en kan gebak, gebraai of self in sop gebruik word, njammies.

Ek hou nogal van die oog. Ander mense dink dis siek.

[konsalik]

Liza, net wyfie snoeke het kuite. kuite = eiers


Die oog is seker een van die heel lekkerste lekkernye. Ek gee ook nie om as mense dink ek is siek as ek dit eet nie. Hoe minder ander mense dit wil hê hoe meer is daar vir my.

[Mark_Bloomfield]

[quote]Originally posted by Woestynryer
TRADITIONAL DISHES
Eat, the beloved country
Posted Fri, 30 Jul 2004

Amanqina
A hoof of a cow, pig or sheep. It is boiled, then spiced for taste. Apparently delicious, but sticky.

It's sticky because of the gelatin. But it's the gelatin that makes it so delicious.