If bobotie is not our national dish, then which meals deserve the titles?
While South Africa’s diversity is a wonderful characteristic of our country and one we can be proud of, there are times when there is no consensus on what defines us as a nation.
We saw this recently when Kopano Mashishi, shared a map of the national dishes in the continent.
Her reaction on Twitter to seeing bobotie listed as South Africa’s national dish was filled with contempt. “Every time I see bloody bobotie as our national dish I want to punch a wall”.
Many Twitter users agreed with her. Questions ranging from ‘What does it even taste like” to “Who made that decision” were asked by many. And then came the statements that made us think – so many people admitted they had never eaten bobotie, so the question is raised – is it really South Africa’s national dish if so many South Africans have not eaten it?
The first time I heard some misgivings about bobotie’s status as our national dish, was in 2017. I recall how South Africans were outraged about the status of the popular dish in the food world, with many saying if it doesn’t represent the majority of the citizens of the country, it should not qualify as the national dish.
But say what you will about bobotie, it still is very much an indigenous South African dish and one of the best we have given the food world. The Cape-Malay dish was selected for an international recipe book that was published in 1951 by the United Nations, which therefore earned it the status as being our national dish. So while it might not be the choice of everybody when it comes to choosing which dish best represents South Africa cuisine, it's still one of the meals you should eat when you are in the country, especially in the Cape.
In order to try and solve this conundrum, the Lifestyle Team have suggested their options for what qualifies to be South Africa’s national dish. Essentially a national dish is something that brings people together. Here are the dishes that deserve the title.
The Braai
Because South Africa is such a diverse country, it's hard to equate what our national dish is. But one thing we can all agree on is the Saturday afternoon braai. Don't get it confused with a barbecue; no a good old Mzansi braai must include the following to constitute a braai – potato salad, bean salad and chakalaka for that extra spicy heat factor.
It's a favourite pastime, and everyone has their designated roles – the firestarter, the braai master and the aunties on salad duty. Once those coals are lekker hot, you test it out by placing a single wors on the grid. And once you hear that sizzle and inhale that smokey flavour, you know it's all systems go. – Marchelle Abrahams
South Africans have different palates. However, there is one thing that everyone can agree on – the braai. Nothing beats good old fashioned braaivleis. Lamb chops, pork chops, chicken wings or kebabs and how can we forget the sausage? A braai is the one thing to do with food that most South Africans can agree to enjoy no matter their backgrounds. It’s something our country is well known for. Even fussy eaters can agree to braai food being the national dish. Okay, vegetarians might not completely agree on this but braai-ed meat is always accompanied by various salads. Which usually slap just as hard as the meat. If there’s anything a South African likes to do most, it is to braai. It doesn’t matter what background you come from, everyone here braai’s. Oluthando Keteyi
I’ve seen people braai chicken feet, sausage, red meat, and even fish but anything goes really. Another way to enjoy braaing or food around the fire is potjiekos, which is a well-known dish in South Africa too. It contains all the yummy goods in one big pot. And once, it’s your choice, whether it’s a seafood pot or a classic stew pot. It’s the braai that brings family and friends together. Chatting around the fire, consuming your drink of choice and simply just enjoying life with the people you love. – Kaymery Swart
The Bunny Chow
As someone who hasn't even seen bobotie before, let alone tasted it, I firmly believe that a more suitable national dish for South Africa would be something more popular amongst our people. To me, that is a bunny chow. These hollowed-out pockets of bread containing rich curries with gravy-soaked potatoes are a beloved street food that is ubiquitous throughout the nation. Paired with an ice-cold can of coke, shared with friends or family straight from the wrapping and eaten with the bare hands, they have so much character, I don't think anything else could quite compare. - Sacha Van Niekerk
Chakalaka
I’m always torn between samp and beans, a favourite of mine, and chakalaka. But I always go with the latter. Chakalaka is a South African spicy vegetable relish. Everyone’s recipe for chakalaka is different and all of us think that our family recipes are the best, including me. Although its exact origins are unknown, some believe it originated from mineworkers in Johannesburg. All I know for sure is that there is no braai or party without chakalaka. You can bring your Sunday best, but if you don’t have chakalaka, know you’re not the favourite host. – Viwe Ndongeni
Even with us, there’s no consensus. It’s a variety of different dishes, including bobotie. But if there’s one thing we can all agree on what makes a dish deserve to be called a national dish of a country, is that you can never find it anywhere else in the world. It has to be unique to South Africa and when made outside the country, you can almost taste the missing distinguishing state of Mzansi.
This article first appeared in Saturday Insider, March 26, 2022