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Botswana

Botswana, in Southern Africa, is known for its stable democracy, conservation efforts, and the vast Kalahari Desert. It's home to the Okavango Delta, one of the world's largest inland deltas, which attracts numerous wildlife species and tourists. Gaborone is the capital, and while diamonds fuel much of the economy, tourism and cattle farming are also significant. Botswana has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes but faces challenges in distributing wealth evenly.

Botswana

Featured Dishes from Botswana

Bogobe

Bogobe

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa, and in West Africa by the Ewes of Togo, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire. It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. In 2017, the dish was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, one of a few foods in the list. This dish is eaten widely across Africa, where it has different local names:

Phala

Phala

Cornmeal porridge

Ting

Ting

Fermented sorghum or corn porridge, serve with milk and sugar

Koeksister

Koeksister

A koeksister is a traditional Afrikaner confectionery made of fried dough infused in syrup or honey. There is also a Cape Malay version of the dish, which is a fried ball of dough that is rolled in desiccated coconut called a koesister. The name derives from the Dutch word "koek", which generally means a wheat flour confectionery. Koeksisters are prepared by frying plaited dough strips in oil, then submersing the hot fried dough into ice cold sugar syrup. Koeksisters have a golden crunchy crust and liquid syrup centre, are very sticky and sweet, and taste like honey.

Magwinya

Magwinya

Sweet fried dough, doughnut

Melktert

Melktert

Melktert is a South African dessert originally created by the Dutch settlers in the "Cape" (South Africa) consisting of a sweet pastry crust containing a custard filling made from milk, flour, sugar and eggs. The ratio of milk to eggs is higher than in a traditional Portuguese custard tart, British custard tart or Chinese egg tart, resulting in a lighter texture and a stronger milk flavour. The dessert originated among settlers at the Dutch Cape Colony in the 17th century, and is believed to have developed from the Dutch mattentaart, a cheesecake-like dessert which was included in the cookbook Een Notabel Boexcken Van Cokeryen (A Notable Book of Cookery) published by Thomas van der Noot around 1514. Some recipes require that the custard be baked in the crust, while others call for the custard to be prepared in advance, and then placed in the crust before serving. Cinnamon is often sprinkled over its surface, and the milk used for the custard may also be infused with a cinnamon stick before preparation. A staple at church fetes and home industries, and commonplace in South African supermarkets, melktert may be served chilled or at room temperature, or slightly warmed.

Bojalwa

Bojalwa

Castle beer

Castle beer

SABMiller was one of the top five global brewing companies, and had a range of over 150 beers, including international beers such as Pilsner Urquell, and Miller Genuine Draft, and local ones such as Gambrinus and Castle Milk Stout. The company was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev in October 2016 and sold off its interest in MillerCoors to Molson Coors as required by regulators in the U.S. The new company, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, is trading on the Brussels Stock Exchange as ABI.BR and as BUD on the New York stock exchange. After the merger between Anheuser Busch Inbev and SABMiller, the new Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV company owns over 200 beer brands including Budweiser and Bud Light, Corona, Stella Artois, Beck's, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Quilmes, Victoria, Modelo Especial, Michelob Ultra, Harbin, Sedrin, Klinskoye, Sibirskaya Korona, Chernigivske, Cass and Jupiler. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV also owns a soft drinks business that has bottling contracts with PepsiCo through its subsidiary, AmBev. In December 2016, Coca-Cola Co. bought many of the former SABMiller's Coca-Cola operations.

Chibuku

Chibuku

Chibuku is a commercial sorghum beer based on the traditional Umqombothi homemade African beers; the main grains used are malted sorghum and maize but may also contain millet. "Chibuku" comes from Max Heinrich's habit of recording all consumers' comments and process changes in a book. Chibuku is an adaptation of the local Zambia language word for "book" - "Chi" is the prefix meaning "big", "buk" = "book", and the terminal "u" is because most African nouns tend to end in a euphonic vowel. The shake-shake comes from the ritual of shaking up the beer before taking the first sip. The beer contains starch, germ, and yeast (all typically removed in lagers and ales), and since the solids settle to the bottom of the carton, it needs to be shaken before sipping. The alcohol content in a fresh Chibuku is relatively low, starting at about 0.5% ABV on day one. Still, as fermentation continues in the carton, the longer it is kept before drinking, the stronger it gets. It may achieve 4% ABV before the shelf-life expires after between 4 and 6 days after packaging.

Ginger beer

Ginger beer

Traditional ginger beer is a sweetened and carbonated, usually non-alcoholic beverage. Historically it was produced by the natural fermentation of prepared ginger spice, yeast and sugar. Modern ginger beers are often manufactured rather than brewed, frequently with flavour and colour additives, with artificial carbonation. Ginger ales are not brewed.

Lion

Lion

Madila

Madila

Milk

Milk

Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest solid food. Milk contains many nutrients, including calcium and protein, as well as lactose and saturated fat. Immune factors and immune-modulating components in milk contribute to milk immunity. Early-lactation milk, which is called colostrum, contains antibodies and immune-modulating components that strengthen the immune system against many diseases. The US CDC agency recommends that children over the age of 12 months (the minimum age to stop giving breast milk or formula) should have two servings of dairy (milk) products a day, and more than six billion people worldwide consume milk and milk products. As an agricultural product, dairy milk is collected from farm animals, mostly cattle. In 2011, dairy farms produced around 730 million tonnes (800 million short tons) of milk from 260 million dairy cows. India is the world's largest producer of milk and the leading exporter of skimmed milk powder. New Zealand, Germany, and the Netherlands are the largest exporters of milk products. Between 750 and 900 million people live in dairy-farming households.

Millet beer

Millet beer

Millet beer, also known as Bantu beer, malwa, pombe "Tchouk" or opaque beer, is an alcoholic beverage made from malted millet that is common throughout Africa. Its production process varies across regions and in the southern parts of Africa is more commonly known as umqombothi. Millet beer varies in taste and alcoholic content between ethnic groups.[citation needed] It is served in calabash gourds. This type of beer is common throughout Africa. Related African drinks include maize beer and sorghum beer. In the Balkans and Turkey a form of millet beer named boza is produced.

Soft drinks

Soft drinks

A soft drink is any water-based flavored drink, usually but not necessarily carbonated, and typically including added sweetener. Flavors used can be natural or artificial. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a sugar substitute (in the case of diet sodas), or some combination of these. Soft drinks may also contain caffeine, colorings, preservatives and other ingredients. Soft drinks are called "soft" in contrast with "hard" alcoholic drinks. Small amounts of alcohol may be present in a soft drink, but the alcohol content must be less than 0.5% of the total volume of the drink in many countries and localities if the drink is to be considered non-alcoholic. Types of soft drinks include lemon-lime drinks, orange soda, cola, grape soda, cream soda, ginger ale and root beer.

Beef

Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle . Beef can be prepared in various ways; cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often ground or minced, as found in most hamburgers. Beef contains protein, iron, and vitamin B12. Along with other kinds of red meat, high consumption is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer and coronary heart disease, especially when processed. Beef has a high environmental impact, being a primary driver of deforestation with the highest greenhouse gas emissions of any agricultural product. In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantity of their meat. Today, beef is the third most widely consumed meat in the world, after pork and poultry. As of 2018, the United States, Brazil, and China were the largest producers of beef.

Bogobe

Bogobe

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa, and in West Africa by the Ewes of Togo, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire. It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. In 2017, the dish was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, one of a few foods in the list. This dish is eaten widely across Africa, where it has different local names:

Braai

Braai

Barbecue varies by the type of meat, sauce, rub, or other flavorings used, the point in barbecuing at which they are added, the role smoke plays, the equipment and fuel used, cooking temperature, and cooking time. The meat may be whole, ground , or processed into sausage or kebabs. The meat may be marinated or rubbed with spices before cooking, basted with a sauce or oil before, during or after cooking, or any combination of these.

Chicken

Chicken

The chicken is a large and round short-winged bird, domesticated from the red junglefowl of Southeast Asia around 8,000 years ago. Most chickens are raised for food, providing meat and eggs; others are kept as pets or for cockfighting. Chickens are common and widespread domestic animals, with a total population of 26.5 billion as of 2023[update], and an annual production of more than 50 billion birds. A hen bred for laying can produce over 300 eggs per year. There are numerous cultural references to chickens in folklore, religion, and literature.

Chimoni

Chimoni

Ditloo (jugo beans) with samp (dried and boiled corn kernels) and pounded peanuts, serve with stew, phane (mopane worms) or morogo greens

Delele

Delele

Okra , Abelmoschus esculentus, known in some English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, is a flowering plant in the mallow family native to East Africa. Cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions around the world for its edible green seed pods, okra is featured in the cuisines of many countries. The species is a perennial, often cultivated as an annual in temperate climates, often growing to around 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall. As a member of the Malvaceae, it is related to such species as cotton, cocoa, and hibiscus. The leaves are 10–20 centimetres (4–8 in) long and broad, palmately lobed with 5–7 lobes. The flowers are 4–8 cm (1+5⁄8–3+1⁄8 in) in diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base. The pollen grains are spherical and approximately 188 microns in diameter. The fruit is a capsule up to 18 cm (7 in) long with pentagonal cross-section, containing numerous seeds.

Dikgobe

Dikgobe

Dikgobe, also known as izinkobe, is a South African word for samp and beans cooked together. The dish is commonly served at Setswana celebrations of life, such as marriage, and those marking death, the passage out of life. For funerals, dikgobe is one of the two acceptable starches to be served, with sorghum as the other.

Dobi

Dobi

Stewed greens and pounded peanuts

Fish

Fish

Many species of fish are caught by humans and consumed as food in virtually all regions around the world. Fish has been an important dietary source of protein and other nutrients. The English language does not have a special culinary name for food prepared from fish like with other animals , or as in other languages (such as Spanish pez vs. pescado). In culinary and fishery contexts, fish may include so-called shellfish such as molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms; more expansively, seafood covers both fish and other marine life used as food. Since 1961, the average annual increase in global apparent food fish consumption (3.2 percent) has outpaced population growth (1.6 percent) and exceeded consumption of meat from all terrestrial animals, combined (2.8 percent) and individually (bovine, ovine, porcine, etc.), except poultry (4.9 percent). In per capita terms, food fish consumption has grown from 9.0 kg (19.8 lb) in 1961 to 20.2 kg (45 lb) in 2015, at an average rate of about 1.5 percent per year. The expansion in consumption has been driven not only by increased production, but also by a combination of many other factors, including reduced wastage, better utilization, improved distribution channels and growing consumer demand, linked with population growth, rising disposable incomes and urbanization.

Goat

Goat

Goat meat is the meat of the domestic goat . The term 'goat meat' denotes meat of older animals, while meat from young goats is called 'kid meat'. In South Asian cuisine, goat meat is called mutton, along with sheep meat. The culinary name "chevon", a blend of chèvre "goat" in French and mouton "sheep" in French, was coined in 1922 and selected by a trade association; it was adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1928,: 19 however the term never caught on and is not encountered in the United States. "Cabrito", a word in Spanish and Portuguese, is the meat of a young, milk-fed goat. It is also known as chivo meat. Goat meat is both a staple and a delicacy in the world's cuisines. The cuisines best known for their use of goat include African cuisine, Middle Eastern, Indian, Indonesian, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Abruzzese, Mexican, Caribbean (Jamaica), Haitian cuisine, Dominican cuisine and Ecuadorian. Cabrito, which is baby goat, is a typical food of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico; in Italy it is called "capretto". Goat meat can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as being stewed, curried, baked, grilled, barbecued, minced, canned, fried, or made into sausage. Goat jerky is another popular variety.

Lamb

Lamb

Lamb and mutton, collectively sheep meat is one of the most common meats around the world, taken from the domestic sheep, Ovis aries, and generally divided into lamb, from sheep in their first year, hogget, from sheep in their second, and mutton, from older sheep. Generally, "hogget" and "sheep meat" are not used by consumers outside Norway, New Zealand, South Africa, Scotland, and Australia. Hogget has become more common in England, particularly in the North (Lancashire and Yorkshire) often in association with rare breed and organic farming. In South Asian and Caribbean cuisine, "mutton" often means goat meat. At various times and places, "mutton" or "goat mutton" has occasionally been used to mean goat meat.

Mabele

Mabele

Sorghum meal, commonly made into porridge, ting (sour porridge)

Mala mogodu

Mala mogodu

Mogodu is a Southern African food. Mogodu is a combination of chopped serobe and mala (intestines) served as a stew often with hot pap or dumpling. Mala (in Setswana/Sotho) is the insides, usually of a mammal such as a cow or sheep.

Matlebekwane

Matlebekwane

Wheat flour dumplings

Mutton

Mutton

Lamb and mutton, collectively sheep meat is one of the most common meats around the world, taken from the domestic sheep, Ovis aries, and generally divided into lamb, from sheep in their first year, hogget, from sheep in their second, and mutton, from older sheep. Generally, "hogget" and "sheep meat" are not used by consumers outside Norway, New Zealand, South Africa, Scotland, and Australia. Hogget has become more common in England, particularly in the North (Lancashire and Yorkshire) often in association with rare breed and organic farming. In South Asian and Caribbean cuisine, "mutton" often means goat meat. At various times and places, "mutton" or "goat mutton" has occasionally been used to mean goat meat.

Nyama

Nyama

Meat, many ways to prepare, for example, stewed, grilled, stir fried

Pap

Pap

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa, and in West Africa by the Ewes of Togo, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire. It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. In 2017, the dish was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, one of a few foods in the list. This dish is eaten widely across Africa, where it has different local names:

Potjiekos

Potjiekos

In South Africa, a potjiekos /ˈpɔɪkiːkɒs/, literally translated "small-pot food", is a dish prepared outdoors. It is traditionally cooked in a round, cast iron, three-legged cauldron, the potjie, descended from the Dutch oven brought from the Netherlands to South Africa in the 17th century and found in the homes and villages of people throughout southern Africa. The pot is heated using small amounts of wood or charcoal or, if fuel is scarce, twisted grass or even dried animal dung. Traditionally, the recipe includes meat, vegetables like carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, or pumpkin, starches like rice or potatoes, all slow-cooked with Dutch-Malay spices, the distinctive spicing of South Africa's early culinary melting pot. Other common ingredients include fruits and flour-based products like pasta. Potjiekos originated with the Voortrekkers, evolving as a stew made of venison and vegetables , cooked in the potjie. As trekkers (pioneers) shot wild game, it was added to the pot. The large bones were included to thicken the dish. Each day when the wagons stopped, the pot was placed over a fire to simmer. New bones replaced old and fresh meat replaced meat eaten. Game included venison, poultry such as guinea fowl, warthog, bushpig, rabbit, and hare.

Samp

Samp

Samp is a food made from dried corn kernels that have been pounded and chopped until broken, but not as finely ground as mealie-meal or mielie rice. The coating around the kernel loosens and is removed during the pounding and stamping process. It is eaten across South Africa and by the Lozi and Tonga people of Zambia with sugar and sour milk. It can also be served with gravy and various additives. It is cooked with beans in the Xhosa variant of umngqusho and sometimes eaten with chakalaka. It can also be served with beef, lamb, poultry and in stuffings. "Samp" is of Native American origin, coming from the Narragansett word "nasàump." New Englanders since early colonial times have referred to cornmeal mush or cereal as "samp."

Serobe

Serobe

The cuisine of Botswana is unique but shares some characteristics with other cuisines of Southern Africa. Examples of Setswana food include pap, samp, magwinya, bogobe and mophane worms. A food unique to Botswana is seswaa, salted mashed-up meat. Watermelons are believed to have originated in Botswana. Other foods include morogo wa dinawa, madila and dikgobe. Batswana procure beef, goat meat, sheep, tswana chicken, Mophane worms and fish locally. Batswana also make home-made refreshing drinks using watermelon, marula and ginger powder. At weddings, sorghum meal is usually cooked and mixed with melon and this mixture is called bogobe jwa lerotse. Usually the melon is pre-prepared with sour milk and stored to be used whenever needed. Batswana are also good at food preservation. Among other methods, they preserve meat by cutting it into small lengths like strings, then dry it. When meat is like this, it is called digwapa. They also cook and dry bean leaves. It is also common among Batswana to make mageu from leftover porridge or pap. Some tribes also preserve spoiling or rotten meat by drying it to be used as relish for a long time. This type of meat is called mokungwana. Other foods prepared during weddings are samp mixed with beans or cooked without beans and eaten with pounded meat called seswaa.

Seswaa

Seswaa

Seswaa or loswao (as the dish is called in the south of the country and western South Africa) is a traditional meat dish of Botswana, made of beef or goat meat. It is prepared using leftover cuts or tough cuts such as legs, neck and back. The dish is normally prepared for ceremonies such as funerals, weddings and national events such as independence celebrations. The meat is boiled until tender in a pot, with "just enough salt", and pounded. It is often served with pap (maize meal), setampa (samp, ground corn) or mabele (sorghum).

Sosaties

Sosaties

Sosatie is a traditional South African dish of meat cooked on skewers. The term derives from sate ("skewered meat") and saus ("spicy sauce"). It is of Cape Malay origin, used in Afrikaans—the primary language of the Cape Malays, and the word has gained greater circulation in South Africa. Marinated, cubed meat (usually lamb) is skewered and cooked by braaing (barbecued) shish kebab style. Sosatie recipes vary, but commonly the ingredients can include cubes of lamb, beef, chicken, dried apricots, red onions and mixed peppers. To prepare, mutton chunks are marinated overnight in fried onions, chillies, garlic, curry leaves and tamarind juice, then threaded on skewers and either pan-fried or grilled. However, the most common way to cook the sosaties is outside, on a braai (or barbecue). The meat chunks are often interspersed with small onions, sliced peppers, dried apricots or prunes.

Stewed vegetables

Stewed vegetables

African stewed vegetables often refer to dishes like efo riro, a Nigerian spinach stew made with leafy greens, tomatoes, and various spices, or peanut stews that include hearty ingredients like sweet potatoes and beans. These stews are flavorful and can be made vegetarian or with meat, depending on preference.

Tophi

Tophi

Porridge made with sour milk and lerotse melon

Vetkoek

Vetkoek

Vetkoek is a traditional South African fried dough bread. It is similar to the Caribbean Johnny cake, the Dutch oliebol, and the Mexican sopaipillas. It is also known by the Xhosa and Zulu name igwinya (plural amagwinya). The word vetkoek literally means "fat cake" in Afrikaans has its roots deeply embedded in South African history. The dish is thought to have originated with the Voortrekkers, Dutch settlers who moved into the interior of South Africa in the 1830s. Seeking portable and durable food options for their long journeys, they developed vetkoek as a practical solution. This humble beginning has led to vetkoek becoming a beloved comfort food for many South Africans, enjoyed in homes and sold by street vendors across the country. It is similar in shape to a doughnut without a hole, and is made with a yeast dough. Vetkoeks are also often made alongside a curry mince, which is stuffed inside. Vetkoek is commonly sold at family-owned takeaway restaurants and African festivals and cultural events.

Wild game

Wild game

Game or quarry is any wild animal hunted for animal products , for recreation ("sporting"), or for trophies. The species of animals hunted as game varies in different parts of the world and by different local jurisdictions, though most are terrestrial mammals and birds. Fish caught non-commercially (recreational fishing) are also referred to as game fish. The range of animal species hunted by humans varies in different parts of the world. This is influenced by climate, faunal diversity, popular taste and locally accepted views about what can or cannot be legitimately hunted. Sometimes a distinction is also made between varieties and breeds of a particular animal, such as wild turkey and domestic turkey. The flesh of the animal, when butchered for consumption, is often described as having a "gamey" flavour. This difference in taste can be attributed to the natural diet of the animal, which usually results in a lower fat content compared to domestic farm-raised animals. In some countries, game is classified, including legal classifications with respect to licenses required, as either "small game" or "large game". A single small game licence may cover all small game species and be subject to yearly bag limits. Large game are often subject to individual licensing where a separate permit is required for each individual animal taken (tags).

Zondo

Zondo

Cow or pork trotters, for example, stewed, serve with sadza, leafy greens

Beans

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Beans

A bean is the seed of any plant in the legume family used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying, but fresh beans are also sold. Most beans are traditionally soaked and boiled, but they can be cooked in many different ways, including frying and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes throughout the world. The unripe seedpods of some varieties are also eaten whole as green beans or edamame (immature soybean), but fully ripened beans contain toxins like phytohemagglutinin and require cooking. The word 'bean', for the Old World vegetable, existed in Old English, long before the New World genus Phaseolus was known in Europe. With the Columbian exchange of domestic plants between Europe and the Americas, use of the word was extended to pod-borne seeds of Phaseolus, such as the common bean and the runner bean, and the related genus Vigna. The term has long been applied generally to seeds of similar form, such as Old World soybeans and lupins, and to the fruits or seeds of unrelated plants such as coffee beans, vanilla beans, castor beans, and cocoa beans.

Biltong

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Biltong

Biltong is a form of air-dried, cured meat which originated in South Africa, and from there spread to other Southern African countries -- . Various types of meat are used to produce it, ranging from beef to game meats such as ostrich or kudu. The cut may also vary being either fillets of meat cut into strips following the grain of the muscle, or flat pieces sliced across the grain. It is related to beef jerky, as both are spiced, dried meats; however, the typical ingredients, taste, and production processes may differ. Biltong is air-dried, which gives it a unique texture and flavor, whereas jerky is heated to at least 71 °C (160 °F). The word "biltong" is from the Afrikaans bil ("buttock") and tong ("strip" or "tongue").

Chakalaka

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Chakalaka

Chakalaka is a South African vegetable relish, usually spicy, that is traditionally served with bread, pap, samp, stews, or curries. Chakalaka is said to have originated in the townships of Johannesburg or in the gold mines surrounding Johannesburg, when Mozambican mineworkers leaving their shift cooked tinned produce with chili to produce a spicy Portuguese-style relish to accompany pap. Many variations of Chakalaka exist, depending on region and family tradition. Some versions include beans, cabbage and butternut squash. For example, canned baked beans, canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, and curry paste can be used to make the dish. It is frequently served at a braai (barbecue) or with a Sunday lunch. It can be served cold or at room temperature.

Ditloo

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Ditloo

Fries

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fries

French fries[a] are batonnet or julienne-cut deep-fried potatoes of disputed origin. They are prepared by cutting potatoes into even strips, drying them, and frying them, usually in a deep fryer. Pre-cut, blanched, and frozen russet potatoes are widely used, and sometimes baked in a regular or convection oven, such as an air fryer. French fries are served hot, either soft or crispy, and are generally eaten as part of lunch or dinner or by themselves as a snack, and they commonly appear on the menus of diners, fast food restaurants, pubs, and bars. They are typically salted and may be served with ketchup, vinegar, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, or other sauces. Fries can be topped more heavily, as in the dishes of poutine, loaded fries or chili cheese fries, and are occasionally made from sweet potatoes instead of potatoes.

Fruit

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fruit

Kgengwe, lerotse (lekatane, a cooking melon), marula, watermelons

Kalaharituber

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Kalaharituber

Kalaharituber is a fungal genus in the family Pezizaceae. It is a monotypic genus, whose single truffle-like species, Kalaharituber pfeilii, is found in the Kalahari Desert, which spans the larger part of Botswana, the east of Namibia and the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The fungus was first described scientifically in 1895 by German mycologist Paul Christoph Hennings as Terfezia pfeilii. It was moved to its own genus in 2005 by James Trappe and Varda Kagan-Zur.

Madombi

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Madombi

Boiled dumplings

Mmasekuku

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mmasekuku

Bread cooked in a firewood oven

Mopane worms

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mopane worms

Gonimbrasia belina is a species of emperor moth which is native to the warmer parts of southern Africa. Its large edible caterpillar, known as the mopane worm, madora, amacimbi “pigeon moth”, masonja or Seboko sa Mongana, feeds primarily but not exclusively on mopane tree leaves. Mopane worms are an important source of protein for many in the region. The species was first scientifically described by John O. Westwood in 1849. The mopane worm is so-called in English because it is usually found on the mopane tree, Colophospermum mopane. Other vernacular names for the caterpillars include:

Morogo

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Morogo

Morogo or moroho, also known as African spinach, refers to a group of at least three different dark green leafy vegetables found throughout Southern Africa harvested for human consumption. It is considered a traditional South African dish and forms an important part of the staple diet in rural communities. Morogo leaves have a protein content of up to 36%. The ultimate vitamin content is dependent on the age of the plant and method of preparation; the plants contain vitamin A and vitamin C and complement the low levels of calcium, magnesium and iron in maize. In South Africa one of the varieties is known as "pigweed" in English, "hanekam" in Afrikaans and scientifically, Amaranthus sp. An examination of three widely consumed variants have found that its consumption may lower the risk of vascular-related chronic diseases and type 2 diabetes.

Nuts

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Nuts

A nut is a fruit consisting of a hard or tough nutshell protecting a kernel which is usually edible. In general usage and in a culinary sense, many dry seeds are called nuts, but in a botanical context, "nut" implies that the shell does not open to release the seed . Most seeds come from fruits that naturally free themselves from the shell, but this is not the case in nuts such as hazelnuts, chestnuts, and acorns, which have hard shell walls and originate from a compound ovary. A seed is the mature fertilised ovule of a plant; it consists of three parts, the embryo which will develop into a new plant, stored food for the embryo, and a protective seed coat. Botanically, a nut is a fruit with a woody pericarp developing from a syncarpous gynoecium. Nuts may be contained in an involucre, a cup-shaped structure formed from the flower bracts. The involucre may be scaly, spiny, leafy or tubular, depending on the species of nut. Most nuts come from the pistils with inferior ovaries (see flower) and all are indehiscent (not opening at maturity). True nuts are produced, for example, by some plant families of the order Fagales. These include beech (Fagus), chestnut (Castanea), oak (Quercus), stone-oak (Lithocarpus) and tanoak (Notholithocarpus) in the family Fagaceae, as well as hazel, filbert (Corylus) and hornbeam (Carpinus) in the family Betulaceae.

Pap chips

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Pap chips

Cornmeal fries or chips, deep-fried or grilled

Peanuts

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Peanuts

The peanut , also known as the groundnut, goober (US), goober pea, pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics by small and large commercial producers, both as grain legume and as an oil crop. Atypically among legumes, peanut pods develop underground leading botanist Carl Linnaeus to name peanuts hypogaea, which means "under the earth". The peanut belongs to the botanical family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), commonly known as the legume, bean, or pea family. Like most other legumes, peanuts harbor symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules, which improve soil fertility, making them valuable in crop rotations.

Phaphatha

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Phaphatha

Pan-fried flatbread

Polony

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Polony

A bologna-like pork, beef and/or chicken sausage, this processed meat sausage is different from chikanda, also called African polony, which is a vegetarian loaf made from orchid tubers, peanuts, chilies and baking soda

Potbrood

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Potbrood

Potbrood is bread first made by the Boer settlers of what is now South Africa. Potbrood was traditionally baked in a cast-iron pot (also known as a Dutch oven) in a pit made in the ground and lined with hot coals. Potbrood is often made at a braai (barbecue) by packing charcoal or wood coals around a cooking pot.

Samosa

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Samosa

A samosa (listenⓘ) ( Persian: سمبوسه) from the Persian word sambosag (سنبوسگ) (meaning 'triangular pastry') is a fried South Asian and West Asian snack. It is a pastry with a savory filling, mostly vegetables, spiced potatoes, onions, and peas, but also meat or fish. It is made in different shapes, including triangular, cone, or crescent, depending on the region. Samosas are often accompanied by chutney, and have origins in medieval times or earlier. Sweet versions are also made. Samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack in the cuisines of India, South Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, Portugal, East Africa and their South Asian diasporas. The English word samosa derives from the Hindustani word samosa (Urdu: سموسہ, Hindi: समोसा), traceable to the Middle Persian word sanbosag (سنبوسگ) 'triangular pastry'. Similar pastries are called sambusak in Arabic from Persian; medieval Arabic recipe books sometimes spell it sambusaj, which are all borrowed from Persian sanbosag.

Vegetables

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Vegetables

Amaranth, bean leaves, beans, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, okra, onions, peas, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tubers, wild spinach (morogo)

Vetkoek

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Vetkoek

Vetkoek is a traditional South African fried dough bread. It is similar to the Caribbean Johnny cake, the Dutch oliebol, and the Mexican sopaipillas. It is also known by the Xhosa and Zulu name igwinya (plural amagwinya). The word vetkoek literally means "fat cake" in Afrikaans has its roots deeply embedded in South African history. The dish is thought to have originated with the Voortrekkers, Dutch settlers who moved into the interior of South Africa in the 1830s. Seeking portable and durable food options for their long journeys, they developed vetkoek as a practical solution. This humble beginning has led to vetkoek becoming a beloved comfort food for many South Africans, enjoyed in homes and sold by street vendors across the country. It is similar in shape to a doughnut without a hole, and is made with a yeast dough. Vetkoeks are also often made alongside a curry mince, which is stuffed inside. Vetkoek is commonly sold at family-owned takeaway restaurants and African festivals and cultural events.