Gastronomy in South Africa

The cuisine of South Africa is a mixture of the recipes of some cultural groups that have existed for more 350 years. Cooking practiced through indigenous people like Khoisan and Xhosa, and Sotho-speaking individuals. Settler cooking presented throughout the colonial period by citizenry of British and Afrikaner. The cuisine of the Cape Malay people is also included. It has numerous characteristics of Java and Malaysia.

The soup recipes are Butternut Soup; Crayfish Soup (or rock lobster); Vegetable Soup and Mushroom Soup. Some of the typical food and dishes in the country are Hoenderpastei (chicken pie, traditional Afrikaans menu); Biltong (a salty dried meat); Bobotie (a dish of Malay descent, meatloaf with raisins and grilled egg on top); Boerewors (homemade pork sausage and spiced beef); Cape Kidgeree (fish and rice); Frikkadelle (meatballs); ostrich (either used in a stew and grilled); Sosaties (baked marinated meat with apricots); Tomato bredie (lamb and tomato stew); Umleqwa (dish cooked with free-range chicken); Umngqusho (prepared from flour black-eyed peas); and Trotters and Beans (made from boiled sheep's trotters or pig's, onions and beans). Popular South African side dishes include curried carrot salad; hot rice salad and yellow rice. Favorite desserts are melktert (milk tart); custard melkkos (sago pudding) and klappertert (coconut pie).

Some South African teas with a different taste, flavor and aroma are: Honeybush tea (pleasant tasting beverage that can be served cold or hot); Rooibos tea (alternative drink for health conscious individuals); and East African black teas (teas of Kenya and normally blended with Assam and Ceylon teas).