South African foods are truly special and is missed by South African Expatriates living abroad. Any South African who lives in the UK can attest to the cookies that masquerade as rusks anytime they enter a UK grocery store and request for rusk.
Here are some of the top foods that South African Expatriates crave while living abroad:
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1. Vetkoek
Vetkoek, which literally translates to “fat cake,” can be consumed at any time of the day. It is a dough ball with various contents within, such as spiced mince, apricot jam, and grated cheese.
2. Bredie
Bredie is a yummy, soothing dish that is frequently prepared with lamb and waterblommetjies, an edible flower that can be found in many South African dams. Another classic favorite is beef and cabbage stew.
Bredie is typically served with white rice, and you can eat it by itself or with complementary veggies like beans and pumpkin.
3. Boerewors
Literally translated as “farmer’s sausage,” boerewors is a mainstay at braais and for the following morning’s breakfast.
If there are any leftovers, they are equally delicious when eaten cold for lunch. Boerewors recipes vary, but they typically call for coriander and a combination of beef and pork.
4. Biltong
Fortunately for South Africans living abroad, biltong can frequently be found at a “South African shop” carrying South African food because it travels quite well. Biltong is dried, seasoned beef.
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In South Africa, biltong is available in practically every store and is best consumed while watching sports and sipping beer.
5. Bobotie
This well-known traditional Cape Malay dish is made up of spiced ground lamb or beef that is then covered in a thick egg and milk layer and baked until it is golden. Curry powder, turmeric, apple, raisins, and apricot jam were added to the dish to add flavor.
6. Gatsby
The Gatsby is yet another typical dish made of bread. It is a foot-long sandwich stuffed to the gills with Russian sausage or a Vienna,’slap’ chips (chunky, mushy chips soaked in vinegar), masala steak, an egg, and chips.
It was created in the 1970s in the Cape Flats and is a popular Friday lunch in Cape Town. Usually served with atchar or peri peri, it is quite spicy.
7. The Milktart
After a braai or at tea time, South Africans love to indulge in milk tarts. Many families have their own “special” recipes, but the milktart is typically a light, smooth tart with a milky filling and is best served slightly chilled. It is also often topped with a dash of cinnamon.
8. Malva pudding
The ‘best’ malva pudding, a straightforward baked dessert with a delightful toffee sauce, is said to be made by many South Africans’ Ouma (granny). Ideally consumed hot on a chilly evening.
9. Koeksisters
The basic ingredients of the classic Afrikaans koeksister are braided dough, deep-fried, and syrup. It’s typically a teatime delicacy and is available in plenty of neighborhood cafés and county fairs.
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The Cape Malays also have a koeksister that is unique to them; it is made of fried spicy dough rolled in coconut.
10. Bunny Chow
Originally created in KwaZulu-Natal as a portable lunch, bunny chow is now available in numerous cafés around South Africa, including Durban. A bunny chow is a curry-filled hollowed-out loaf of white bread.
