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  1. Home
  2. Food

Everything you ned to know about South African cuisine

Take a culinary adventure and explore the vibrant South African food scene. - by Rhys McKay
  • 24 Sep 2019
Everything you ned to know about South African cuisine
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They say you can learn a lot about a country from its food, and South Africa is no different. Its cuisine is much like its people – a diverse mix of African, Dutch, German, French, Indian and Indonesian influences, owing to the country’s history of colonisation and immigration. 

South African cuisine is unique in that it’s an innovative blend of both familiar and exciting flavours. Here are 10 must-try South African dishes! Down below, you’ll also find a list of places in Australia where you can find South African food, from family-run delis to fusion restaurants.

RELATED: 12 hidden foodie gems you didn’t know existed in Dunedin

10 South African foods and dishes

1. Potjiekos

Looking for something warm and hearty? Potjiekos – meaning “small pot stew” – is a catch-all term for hodgepodge stews made of different meats and vegetables. 

The traditional way of cooking potjiekos is in a three-legged cast-iron pot or potjie, which is heated over a log fire. Recipes for potjiekos vary, but they often include lamb, pork, game, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, and spices. You can also make a vegetarian potjiekos if you like!

2. Bobotie

South African cuisine can be divided into four groups – African cuisine, British cooking, Afrikaans style, and Cape Malay cuisine. The last one incorporates a lot of spices and recipes from Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine, which were introduced to the country by Dutch colonisers.  

Bobotie is a great introduction to Cape Malay food. It’s a mixture of minced beef or lamb spiced with turmeric, bay leaves, and curry paste, which is then slow-cooked with almonds, fruits, and chutney. What makes this dish extra special is that it’s baked with a creamy topping of egg custard. It’s an explosion of flavours and textures that’s not unlike a moussaka!

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A traditional South African dish of Bobotie made by our chef, Pitso. #bobotie #lunch #discoverwildlife #bushlife #glamping #gamedrive #safari #travel #southafrica #nature #wildlife #natgeotravel #travelafrica #sausagetreesafaricamp #krugernationalpark #greaterkruger #lowveld #drakensberg #beautiful #bucketlist #worldnomads #lonelyplanet #meetsouthafrica #travel_drops #iamatraveler #igtravel #yourshotphotographer #huffposttravel #wanderlust #globetrotters

3. Boerewors

Elevate your usual weekend barbecue with some boerewors! These are farmer’s sausages made of beef and pork and spiced with roasted coriander seeds, nutmeg, black peppers, vinegar, and allspice.

In South Africa, boerewors are grilled at braais (barbecues) all coiled up, and best enjoyed with food and booze. 

overthefirecooking View Profile
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Anyone down for a Boerewors Sandwich??? Found some South African Boerewors at @carnivoremeatco the other day, and decided to try and make a massive sandwich out of it. Boerewors is a classic South African style of sausage which can be made with all kinds of meat. This happened to be a beef boerewors. . . First I skewered it to make sure the form stayed strong while grilling. Next, I grilled it over hot @cowboycharcoal along with a @lodgecastiron skillet filled with onions, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce and Syrah also from South Africa. Topped the sausage with the onions and mushrooms then added some local white cheddar. Placed it on a makeshift sourdough loaf that acted like a burger bun. Topped with some of my leftover gremolata (parsley, garlic, chili flakes, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil). This was super delicious and super fun!!! 🍖 🍔 🔥 . . . Gear: Cutting board from @alexander.brothers Grill & Skillet from @lodgecastiron Boerewors from @carnivoremeatco Charcoal from @cowboycharcoal Knife from @hammerstahl . . . Music: Mystic Musician: Jef . . . #overthefirecooking #openfirecooking #livefirecooking #cookingwithfire #firecooking #campfirecooking #forkyeah #grilling #asado #churrasco #braai #boerewors #beef #meat #brats #foodblogger #food #foodie #instafood #instagood #grill #buzzfeast #eat #eeeeeats #nomnom #foodgasm

4. Denningvleis

Another traditional Cape Malay dish, denningvleis is slow-cooked sweet and sour lamb stew. The sourness comes from tamarind. They also add bay leaves, cloves, and allspice to the dish. 

The best way to enjoy denningvleis is with a steaming plate of yellow rice and mashed potatoes!

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Starting July 2017 We offering traditional Cape Malay Sunday Lunch R150 per person. Contact 0719249583 to reserve your space. #homemade #traditions #breyani #akhni #denningvleis #mavrou #bobotie #pastei #potatopudding #capemalay #capemalaycooking #capemalaycookingsafari #capemalaycookingexperience #pensenpootjies #sugarbeancurry #roti

5. Bunny Chow

Should you find yourself hungry after a long day of touring Durban, sit down for some bunny chow. It’s a popular street food that consists of a white, hollowed out loaf that serves as a bowl for a big helping of hot and hearty curry. 

Hot tip: Messy as it seems, you’re supposed to eat bunny chow with your fingers, using the bread to mop up the curry! 

A picture of Bunny Chow on a wooden chopping board
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6. Koeksister/Koesister

Ask most South Africans what they miss most about their country and you’re bound to hear someone say koeksisters. This dessert is a favourite among kids, as it’s a sweet, sticky, and crunchy snack made with braided dough dipped in a spiced syrup and deep-fried in oil. Beware, it’s addicting!

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It's Tuesday Treats for me! Craving for donuts?Oh boy, you got to try this beauties here. These Traditional Koeksisters are a traditional South African sticky donut treat that's deliciously sweet, sticky, crunchy and drenched in syrup, laced with cinnamon, lemon and ginger. Absolutely perfect for snack or tea time and even breakfast! #africanfood #streetfood #snacking #koeksisters Get the full recipe here👉http://www.africanbites.com/traditional-koeksisters/ . . .

A koesister, on the other hand, is a round deep-fried snack made of dough and mashed potatoes. It’s also dipped in a spiced syrup, and then rolled in coconut shavings. South Africans say they’re better than doughnuts!

2 koesisters sitting on a plate with a cup of tea
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7. Biltong

Similar to beef jerky, biltong is made of cured and dried beef, game (such as springbok or wildebeest), and ostrich meat. It is often spiced lightly with pepper, coriander, brown sugar, and vinegar, and occasionally with paprika, onion powder, nutmeg, garlic, and other similar ingredients.

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Just arrived back in South Africa, and first things first. . . . #Biltong #knifesale #detailing #knifecollector #knifenut #knifestagram #knifecollector #knivesofinstagram #edc#everydaycarry #knife#knifedesign #knifemaker #foldingknife #edcgear #usn #knifelife #usualsuspectsnetwork #photooftheday #summer #нож #ножи #sak #SWISSARMY #burn #titanium #damasteel

8. Snoek

Visiting pescetarians will be happy to know that South Africans love fish too. One favourite is snoke, a fish that is caught off the coast of Cape Town. 

According to Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown website, it can be cooked in various ways – “braaied on an open fire ... smoked and served cold or mashed into an exceptional pate ... served up in a smoor – a spicy tomato-based saute ... batter-fried and wrapped in unprinted newsprint with a side of ‘slap chips’”.

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Trying out some new spots with success 🤙🏻

9. Ungqushu or umngqusho

In many parts of Africa, the staple food is pap – a porridge made of cornmeal that’s boiled into a thick dough. Unqushu is a similar dish made with samp and a mix of sugar beans, potatoes, butter, curry powder, onions, tomatoes, and garlic. 

10. Rusks and tea

Looking for a light breakfast or afternoon snack? South Africans love rusks – hard and dry biscuits that are dunked in coffee or tea.  Always go for Ouma’s tried and tested brand.

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When you don't have time to make breakfast our Muesli Rusks are the perfect on-the-go option. That's why they're this week's flavour of the week. #FlavourofTheWeek #Muesli #DIPnOuma #yum #yummy #love #delicious #dessert

4 places to get South African food in Australia

Polepole

Location: Little Collins St., Melbourne

According to its website, Polepole is “a quintessentially modern Australian-African fusion restaurant”. The word “polepole” means “slow” and stands for the restaurant’s ethos of “taking it easy and enjoying the moment”. Their exciting menu features South African staples like biltong and Cape Malay goat curry. 

Price range: Small entrees are priced at $AUD13 to 19, larger entrees at $AUD28 to 45, beers at $AUD9-12 and cocktails at $AUD18-20.

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We love it when you feast in herds. See you at #Polepole.

Dine with Joy

Location: Loganholme, Queensland 

Yes, Dine with Joy is little bakery is in the suburbs (it’s approximately 29 km from Brisbane), but it’s worth the trip! Their slogan is “pies just like grandma used to make”, and if you grew up or spent some time in South Africa, you’ll be hit with a wave of nostalgia just by looking at their menu online. 

Here, you’ll find savoury pies like bunny chow, samoosas, and vetkoek, and desserts like melk tarts and koeksisters. If you’re hungry, they also serve a mean bobotie.

Price range: Meals range from $AUD30 to 85, while desserts cost between $AUD2 and 4.

elise_aussiegirl View Profile
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Always nice to treat yourself every now and again. #glutenfree #coeliac #visitlogan #brisbanefood #loganholme #dessert #foodporn #goldcoast #logancity #queensland #ig_australia #istagood #igeraustralia #foodie #cafe #dinewithjoy #citrustart #nutellacheesecake #nutella #macadamiacaramel #thisisqueensland #discoverqueensland #travel #travelqld #brisbane #chocolate #caramel

Bianca’s Deli

Location: Vaucluse, Sydney

Owned by a former cookery teacher from Johannesburg, Bianca’s Deli is a unique gourmet shop that sells South African and Jewish food. Pop in and you’ll find a variety of food items, from fried fish balls and curry fish to biltong, boerewors, chutney, rusks, and tons of delicious baked goods, including “some of the best cheesecake in Sydney”.

Africola

Location: East Terrace, Adelaide 

Small but vibrant, this restaurant and bar is a cool place to introduce friends to a new culture. The walls are bouncing with African tunes and the space is set up so you can see your meals and drinks prepared right in front of you. And yes, this place is a hundred percent authentic – its chef, Duncan Welgemoed, is a South African native!

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Stiff Upper Dip

RELATED: Coffee in a cone is now a thing in Australia

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