A Guide To The Traditional Foods Of The Countries Of Africa
European settlement in the countries of Africa has created a cuisine that blends the traditional with the new to form a wide variety of meals of great taste and substance.In South Africa Indian people came to work on the sugar cane fields in the Natal of that time. They brought with them their knowledge of curries and spices. Today all cultural groups create their own fusion curry dishes. A curry potjie is a good example of this. A potjie or potjiekos is like a stew with a variety of meat and vegetables. It is normally cooked on an open fire.There were also Malay people imported as slaves who added their own techniques for cooking curry. Bobotie is a curried mince dish that has its origins in Cape malay.It is normally eaten with yellow rice which is flavored with turmeric or saffron and raisins. Atchar and sambals are condiments to go with curry dishes. Sambals consist of cucumber, tomato, onion and yogurt.The Afrikaner people created a lot of very typical dishes that have become favorites with all cultural groups. Milk tart is a delicatessen where the filling is milk based and flavored with cinnamon. Biltong is air dried meat that can be made with beef or game meat and even ostrich biltong has become popular lately.The German influence is quite strong in Namibia where German bakeries and pastries are quite common as are German smoked meats such as rauchfleish.South African foods also influence the cuisine in Namibia through some of the specialty dishes like Bitong or the game meats such as Springbok, Kudu or Gemsbok.In Mozambique, it is the Portuguese who have left their mark in such dished as Prego roll, piri-piri chicken or espetada. Pap is a staple part of the diet that is made from cassava.Even urban people love their pap. It is a very healthy meal which is normally combined with vegetables and a little meat, if available. Deuce M or 2M is the local beer in Mozambique.Mauritian food is influenced by French, Indian and Chinese cuisine. Fish is a staple meal and everybody eats baguettes (French loaf). Baguettes are more filling and tasty than normal bread and very cheap in Mauritius.A common meal you might eat on a boat trip around the islands would consist of salad, baguettes, fish cooked over an open fire and maybe flambe banana to top the meal off. This could be served with rum and fresh juices.Getting a taste of the local cuisine is always a good way to experience the culture of another country.
