Travellers are advised to read the FCO travel advice at gov. If you set foot on South African soil, don’t leave before you’ve enjoyed a traditional al fresco braai, as much amarula fruit the barbecued food as for the cultural experience. Get more holiday inspiration and expert advice from our travel hub. Don’t leave South Africa without eating:1.
Dry curing was a method used to preserve meat by the indigenous tribes of South Africa before fridges were invented. The meat is cured in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar and spices such as coriander and pepper, then hung to dry. This is a traditional South African sausage made from beef, mixed with either pork or lamb and a mixture of spices. In the 17th century, the Dutch and French landed and settled in Cape Town, bringing slaves from Indonesia, India and Malaysia, along with their spices and traditional cooking methods.
A Dutch import, malva pudding is a sweet and sticky baked sponge pudding made with apricot jam and served smothered in a hot cream sauce. This is South Africa’s answer to the British sticky toffee pudding, served in many restaurants but mainly baked at home for Sunday lunch. Chakalaka and pap are mainstays on every South African dinner table. Chakalaka is a vegetable dish made of onions, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beans and spices, and is often served cold. Pap, meaning ‘porridge’, is similar to American grits and is a starchy dish made from white corn maize.