Boerewors
Carnivors out there need to try this at least once in their lifetime. South Africans love to tell visitors that this curly sausage is snake meat, but it’s really just minced beef with a special mix of South African spices. Boerewors is extremely popular in South Africa and as commonplace at a butcher shop as sirloin is in America. It comes out delicious when cooked on a braai (barbecue).
Biltong
This is a staple dish at any Bafana Bafana (the South African national football team) watching party. It has similar qualities to beef jerky; it’s tough, salty meat that is usually sold in small, snack-size pieces. It goes great with Castle Lager.
Pap
This super-comforting food is similar to polenta—gooey, grainy and warm. It’s a kitchen staple in most households and usually serves as a side dish. Pap is made out of mielie meal, which is similar to corn flour, and is highly nutritious and satisfying.
Chakalaka
Chakalaka tastes delicious poured over pap, the previous item on this list. Chakalaka is a spicy vegetable relish said to have originated in Johannesburg. When we say spicy, we mean it, which is why you want to pair it with neutral pap.
Bobotie
This dish brings all the comfort of your mother’s casserole. It’s made with minced meat and baked with egg on top. The dish originated in the Cape Malay community, whose residents are descendants of indentured servants brought to South Africa by the Dutch East India Company from what today is Indonesia. The dish is a little bit spicy and tastes great with rice, some fruit chutney, chopped banana and a bit of shredded coconut.
Bunny chow
Bunny chow is a favorite amongst Durban’s community of Indian descendants. Some see it as a fast food because it can be cooked up quick, and it isn’t exactly the healthiest of dishes. But it is, like most fast food, deliciously addicting!Bunny chow is made by hollowing out half a loaf of bread and stuffing it with whatever you like. A popular variety is stuffed with Nak cheese (a mild cheese) and tomato sauce.
Vetkoek
Another rather unhealthy but yummy item, vetkoek is a piece of dough deepfried in gallons of cooking oil, and like Bunny chow, stuffed with whatever you like. Most South Africans enjoy it stuffed with minced meat when they want it savory, or with syrup or jam for a dessert.
Umqombothi
You can’t leave South Africa without ordering one of these. The iconic South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka called this beer “magic.” It’s made from corn, sorghum (a mix of different grasses), yeast and water. Don’t be surprised if it’s served to you from a gogogo—a communal drum. The alcohol content is low, but its thick consistency is a real treat.
Koeksisters
South Africans with a sweet tooth can’t get enough of this dish. Koeksisters are similar to vetkoek, but fried in even more cooking oil. After frying, the dough is dipped in syrup and served cold. It has a calorie count you’d rather not hear, but so worth it.
Melktert
Have it for breakfast, dessert or a snack—this item is hard to resist. It’s literally a milk tart and with a similar texture to custard tart, but a bit lighter and fluffier. It tastes best with some cinnamon sprinkled on top. It’s the type of thing a South African grandmother might bake for her grandchildren.
