The African Foods of Durban

By Londi Mteshane and Karen Lotter

If you are wondering what to eat when visiting Durban, you do not have to worry because we have a range of attractive and appetizing food.

If you're in the mood for traditional African fare, you’ll have to try pap, which is made from maize meal (Africa’s staple food), dumplings, mogodu (tripe) umqushu (samp) and beans,  smiley’s (boiled sheep’s head) amadumbe (a potato-like tuber) morogo (African spinach) and always inyama (meat).

Former president, Nelson Mandela’s favourite dish is Umngqusho. It's made with samp, sugar beans, butter, onions, potatoes, chillies and lemons, and simmered a long time until all ingredients are tender.

When you pass by the busy area of Warwick Triangle you will be amazed to see what people sell. You will find women and men busy cutting and cleaning sheep and cow heads which they sell for a low price. They usually have small tents where they sell full meals and people can have it there. If you need a tea it can be served with scones. Many people sell roasted mealies on the corners of the streets in town. Apart from being roasted it can be boiled too.

A popular traditional Zulu food is 'amagwinya' (vetkoek) which is flour mixture with water, sugar and salt. It is made into small 'balls' and put into hot oil until it is golden brown. It is even more delicious with stew. In some schools, 'aunties' as the school children call them, sell 'amagwinya' to make ends meet. Most people like to eat 'uphuthu' which is hard maize meal porridge and stews with 'imifino' (spinach). In order for the spinach to be tasty people include hot chillies. There is 'isitambu' (beans mixed with samp). Patience is needed here because you have to wait for hours until your food is cooked.

In some areas they eat chicken feet. The feet are thoroughly cleaned, they are then boiled and special spices are added. These are called walkie-talkies. Sometimes people also eat them with curry. Some people may scorn and pass remarks about people eating chicken feet. Well, you cannot judge people on what they eat.

Special gatherings are not a party without 'pap and vleis' (a braai or barbecue). Especially in the townships, they have places called 'shisanyama', township butcheries where the community can braai their meat. At lunch hours people, especially the taxi drivers congregate around the braai stands in order to prepare meat for their 'complaining' stomach.

People also like 'amasi' which is sour milk. In the past years in rural areas they used to milk the cows and store it in the calabash for almost a week. In this way it turned into sour milk. Most people eat sour milk with maize porridge and others like to drink it.

Sugar cane is tropical grass cultivated for the sugar obtained from its cane. It is grown around the area of Durban. When you visit at the townships and rural areas, you will see people eating sugar cane; they like the juicy part of the cane because of its sugary taste. Some people also say that sugar cane is good for the development of strong teeth.

What else can a person ask for when there is plenty of food in Durban?