Amid the ravages of climate change that lashes the continent with extreme weather patterns like extremely high temperatures, widespread drought and devastating floods, it is good to appreciate every spoonful of food that you have.

In the previous article, we looked at the history and culture of South Africa’s favourite foods as enjoyed by the Rainbow Nation. In this article we look at the most popular dishes prepared in other Southern African countries, including Namibia, Lesotho and eSwatini.

Namibia

Bratwurst and sauerkraut is a popular Namibian dish of German origin. Source: (https://www.chefspencil.com/20-most-popular-foods-in-namibia/)

Namibian food is based on the food culture left by German colonialists, but Namibian cuisine has also been influenced by dishes from their South African neighbour, as well as the unique foods the land has to offer.

Brötchen are traditional German bread rolls that have a soft and airy interior with a crispy exterior. It is often served with rohack, not unlike beef tartar. This delicacy is made of raw minced meat, usually a game steak, that is lightly smoked and served in a brötchen roll, along with l pickled gherkins, thinly sliced onion, and lots of pepper.

Besides boerewors from South Africa, bratwurst is a German pork sausage that is sometimes made with veal or beef and seasoned with coriander, caraway and nutmeg, is a firm favourite. It is served with a potato salad and sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage that is served as a side dish for beef and pork, especially eisbein, which is pickled ham hock, also known as pork shank/knuckle, and that is usually cured and slightly boiled.

For a sweet treat, there is apfelstrudel (apple pie), a dessert filled sweet, spiced apples and raisins in a flaky, sticky crust, with an apricot jam glaze. It is served with ice cream or whipped cream.

And then there is schnitzel, which may be chicken, wiener schnitzel (schnitzel made of a thin, breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet), or jägerschnitzel (hunter’s schnitzel served with mushroom sauce).

Schnitzel made with chicken, beef or veal is a crumbed delicacy with roots in Namibia’s German colonial past. Source: (https://www.chefspencil.com/20-most-popular-foods-in-namibia/)

A local twist

Other dishes that are typically Namibian but are uniquely food of the land, include Namibian oysters, that are cultivated in the cold Benguela Current, and are served raw with lemon, pepper, or a few drops of Tabasco sauce.

For the not so faint-hearted, mopane worms are served deep-fried for a crunchy bite.

Omajowa mushrooms are unique to Namibia, where they only grow on termite hills after the first rains of the season. They grow up to 28 cm in four days and can weigh up to one kilogram. They are prepared by cutting them into bite-size chunks and fried with garlic, butter and a pinch of salt.

Kapana, a favourite street food, consists of a mixed variety of red meat that is cut with a machete and prepared with chili sauce, onions, tomatoes and spices, and is slowly cooked over warm coals.

Lesotho and eSwatini

Nothing goes to waste in Lesotho, and sheep’s head and feet are boiled in water and salt to make a thick stew that is enjoyed with papa, samp or bread. (Source: https://www.chefspencil.com/most-popular-foods-in-lesotho/)

Lesotho is a small country which is landlocked by South Africa. eSwatini, formerly Swaziland, lies within the geographic area of South Africa and borders Mozambique

The Basotho people are known for their peaceful and simple lives, a simplicity that is also seen in their food, which is made with few ingredients, easy cooking methods, and no spices, while Swazis are more creative in their use of resources, with every part of the plant or animal being used.

Most Basotho are farmers that grow maize, sorghum, wheat, beans, and peas and raise cattle, sheep, goats, and chickens. The younger generation is becoming more involved in local commercial farming, growing tomatoes, bell peppers, and leafy greens, which influence many of the traditional dishes.

In the Lesotho highlands, people tend to cook the more traditional Basotho foods, while in the lowlands they cook some of the traditional foods with a few variations of the original recipes. These dishes are also influenced by Western and Asian cuisine and there are a lot of fast-food outlets.

In urban centres in eSwatini, there are many fast-food and family restaurants, many of which are South African, but their most popular dishes are still largely based on traditional foods.

In Lesotho, papa (porridge) is a staple enjoyed by almost every household. the highlands, maize is taken to a local mill for grinding into maize meal, also called mealie meal, which differ in colour, texture and taste from storebought meal used in the lowlands. In eSwatini, Lipalishi is the Swazi name for pap/porridge, come in many forms: stiff, crumbly, which is called liphutfu or phuthu, thin and soft, or sour pap.

Leafy greens

Inkaka is a popular side dish that is made with the leafy greens, stems and fruit of bitter gourd. (Source: https://www.chefspencil.com/top-foods-in-eSwatini/)

In Lesotho, papa is eaten with moroho and or meat, tinned fish of eggs, beans, peas or other vegetables and or fresh and sour milk. Moroho is made of leafy greens such as spinach and cabbage, but also some indigenous leafy greens often regarded as weeds. Lepu is made with summer squash leaves and small squash that is first washed, and the thorns removed before the leaves and squash are cut, salted and cooked with oil until soft. The Swazi versions of moroho is made with ligusha, a highly nutritious leafy green, and tomato, onion and okra, while inkaka is made with bitter gourd.

In eSwatini, umbhidvo wetintsanga is made with pumpkin stalks and leaves, and sometimes ground peanuts are added. Sweet potato, called bhatata, is also a favourite.

Maize

Like elsewhere in Southern Africa, maize or mealies roasted over hot coals is a firm favourite in Lesotho and eSwatini. (Source: https://www.chefspencil.com/top-foods-in-eSwatini/)

In the Lesotho highlands, green maize cobs are cooked in the ashes near an open fire, usually made inside the home for cooking and warmth. The kernels can also be cooked over the open fire on a piece of scrap steel sheet and wire. In the lowlands, where there is no open fire inside the home, roasted maize is usually bought from street vendors.

In eSwatini, roasted maize is called umbhila wekosa, while boiled maize is known as umbhile lophekiwe.  Imbasha is made by roasting semi-dry maize kernels and peanuts. Mealie bread is an original Swazi dish with loaves wrapped in corn leaves and cooked and sold as street food.

In Lesotho, likhobe is prepared by boiling dry maize kernels until they are soft and is seasoned with salt. Samp, dried maize kernels that have been pounded until broken, but not ground, is cooked for events and celebrations in winter. In eSwatini, samp and beans are called umncushu, while mabhontjisi is a stew of beans, vegetables, herbs and curry and sometimes beef bones or tripe.

In Lesotho, ground wheat is used to make bread, which can be either steamed or baked in a pot over hot coals or in the oven or roasted on a hot surface. Makoenya is similar to vetkoek, which are balls of dough fried in hot oil. Vetkoek is also popular in eSwatini.

Nothing is wasted

The Basotho wastes nothing and eat every part of a slaughtered animal besides the waste products and chicken feathers. Likahare is made with the tripe and the intestines of livestock, which is thoroughly cleaned and boiled with salt until soft, then cut into smaller pieces and cooked until the broth thickens. Like, lithlakoana le lihloho / skopo, which refers to sheep feet and heads, which is also cleaned and boiled in salted water, it is enjoyed with papa, samp or bread.

Chicken feet and heads also just cooked with water and seasoned with salt, but it can also be curried or made with a sticky sauce. This street vendor food is eaten with bread or makoenya. Another favourite street food is chicken feet and gizzard kebabs, that are spiced and roasted by street vendors. In eSwatini, tripe is called kwangekhatsi.

Meat and wors (from South Africa) are cooked over an open fire and served with papa and chakalaka, another dish from their neighbour. Meat seasoned or marinated, while fish, like trout, is spiced, wrapped in foil and grilled. In eSwatini, umcwembe is a platter loaded with flame-grilled chicken, beef, pork, and sausage served with pap and a variety of salads. The grilled meat is called shisa nyama.

In Lesotho, lekakarane, or spent layer chickens, are boiled in salted water and served with papa. In eSwatini, chicken dust is cooked as street food.

In eSwatini, inyama lebilisiwe, or boiled meat can be made with backyard chicken, beef, goat or game like impala or warthog, with vegetables and salt.

In the next issue, we find out more about the traditional foods of Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique.

Source references

Hamman, W. (2021) Most Popular Foods in Namibia. Chef’s Pencil

https://www.chefspencil.com/20-most-popular-foods-in-namibia/

Esteves, S. (2023) Top 20 Most Popular Foods in eSwatini (Swaziland)

https://www.chefspencil.com/top-foods-in-eSwatini/

Pitse, H. (2021) Top 20 Most Popular Foods in Lesotho. Chef’s Pencil

https://www.chefspencil.com/most-popular-foods-in-lesotho/