National cuisine of South Africa for gourmets. Authentic recipes, delicacies and specialties

The motley Republic of South Africa full of contrasts has absorbed the traditions of Africa, Asia, and the West. The South African cuisine is incredibly colorful and diverse, which reflects the Republic's cosmopolitan heritage. Most South Africans eat three times a day, the main meal is in the late afternoon. Breakfast is at 6-9 am, lunch is between 12 am and 2 pm and dinner is from 8 to 10 pm. South Africans eat a lot of vegetables, especially pumpkin, carrots, and beets. Meat is usually served with potatoes or rice. South African "braai" - a type of barbecue invented here - is a common type of barbecue where meat is cooked on an open fire. With the meat prepared in this way, locals eat "pap" - corn porridge.

Traditional Umnhousho is made from dry corn and beans. Aponogeton distachyos flower grows on marshes and in rivers of South Africa. It is added to lamb stew with tomatoes. This dish is called "Brady". “Bobotie” mince pie covered with egg cream and raisins is very popular in South Africa. “Boerewors” is a long sausage made from minced meat and spices, which is baked in the oven or on a braai. It is often eaten with chips. "Vetkoek" is the name for deep-fried dough stuffed with vegetables and meat. There are also dessert recipes with syrup inside.

When it comes to desserts, South Africans like a crunchy mint cake - a dish of biscuits, caramel, mint chocolate bars, and whipped cream layers. Another popular specialty is Koeksister donut - braided fried and soaked in syrup or round, spicy, covered in grated coconut. A traditional milk pie is baked using sweetened milk, cornmeal, eggs, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Locals also eat fruit sago puddings, chocolate and pear puddings, pineapple and orange pies. Strawberry cream sauce, guavas sorbet, honey ice cream, peach yogurt, sweet and spicy pumpkin pies - South African cuisine has everything the pickiest gourmets and sweet teeth need. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The wine industry is well developed - wines produced in South Africa have high quality. South Africans like to drink wine from Pinotage - a special red wine grape bred here in the 1920s. Another local drink is "Umkombut" - beer brewed from sorghum and corn. Fragrant "Shakalaka", a dish consisting of baked or boiled beans, onions, curry, carrots, cabbage, chili, and green pepper, is served on holidays. Usually, it is cooked on the braai. On holidays South Africans eat a lot of fried meat with vegetables, while puddings, raisins, baked potatoes, and yellow rice are popular on Christmass. Traditional festive food is ham in a glaze from a mix of mustard and honey, decorated with pineapple slices.

In South Africa, dining etiquette has its own peculiarities. Although restaurants try to follow Western rules, in less formal places, and especially at the home table, South Africans can just relax and, for example, eat lobsters with their hands. During the meal, people don't talk much and avoid eye contact. Guests are usually offered tea or coffee - their cups are filled to the brim every time they are half empty. Hands are washed before and after meals. The left hand is not for eating. In the cities, people eat in a western way, while in rural areas, there is often one common bowl put on the table, from which they eat with wooden spoons. In this case, men, women, and children eat separately.

One of the most popular restaurants in South Africa is “PRON - People’s Republic of Noodles” in Johannesburg. It serves the best noodles of different varieties. The taste and smell of noodles with garlic and coriander, as well as Asian beer, South African wine and various cocktails are especially good. The restaurant is open every day except Sunday, from 12 am until 10 pm. In Port Elizabeth, there is "Muse Restaurant", a traditional restaurant with attractive prices. It also serves European dishes and masterfully blends Western and South African culinary traditions. In Cape Town, a city of high prices, you'll find "Eastern Food Bazaar" where you can enjoy Asian and Indian food for a little money, and the choice of products is really huge.