More Than Meats the Braai

A visit to South Africa reveals that it’s not just a carnivore’s kingdom.

You would think a wildlife-rich country means that mealtime only has game on the cards, right? Wrong.

South African fare is as varied as the species in the game parks, since colonisation in the seventeenth century brought goodies from places like the Netherlands, Germany, France and United Kingdom.

But let’s begin with the traditional ‘braai’ (pronounced br-eye). Meaning barbecue in Afrikaans, the braai is what it’s all about for South Africans. Their take on throwing a shrimp on the barbie makes meat the feature, although there’s also space for proteins like chicken and goat. Not to mention the beloved ‘boerewors’ sausage.

Gravy and ‘mieliepap’ are served to round out the meat fest. Mieliepap, also known as ‘pap’, is a firm but fluffy porridge made of maize meal and is essential for mopping up sauces. Kind of like mashed potato but chewier.

Other South African staples include ‘biltong’, a salty dried meat like jerky but often made of venison or antelope, and ‘droe wors’, dried sausage. Let’s just say a vegetarian may feel like a diabetic in a candy store in this country.

Akin to many globalised cities, Cape Town flashes with a fair share of fast food neon. Chains like Spur, Wimpy, Nando’s and Steers are greased up with burgers, chips, onion rings, malted milkshakes and waffles. But on the flipside, the city offers a refreshing take on contemporary cuisine too.

The sparkling Cape Town coast is home to the freshest catch of the day. Seafood is the star on menus around town, featuring regional varieties such as the gamefish Snoek.
The best part is how it’s served- straight up with no bells and whistles. Served in a pan, where they are cooked, a wedge of lemon is all that’s needed with melt-in-your-mouth calamari.

Plus, the sushi is so artfully arranged it could belong in a gallery. Gleaming with fresher than fresh fish, the colourful array of sushi and sashimi combinations is seriously creative. And it’s about time Australia adopted South Africa’s sushi ‘sandwiches’. Stat.

Moving from savoury to sweet, South Africans end their meal with many dessert options. Among others, there is ‘malva pudding’- a spongy, syrupy pudding of Dutch origin, ‘melktert’- a milk-based tart and ‘koeksisters’- twisted, deep-fried pastries concocted by Afrikaners. Not to mention the mind-boggling thickshake; somehow they just do it better there.

South Africa also showcases lush vineyards, delis, fish markets, award-winning restaurants like La Colombe. The list could go on forever. Foodies unleashed in Africa may just go wild. It’s not only the animals on the prowl for the finest fare.

By Jenna Chaitowitz