If bobotie is not our national dish, then what deserves the title?

WHILE South Africa’s diversity is a wonderful characteristic 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 on the continent. Her reaction on Twitter to seeing bobotie listed as South Africa’s national dish was filled with contempt. “Every time I see bl**dy bobotie as our national dish I want to punch a wall,” she tweeted.

Many Twitter users agreed with her. Questions ranging from ‘What does it even taste like?” to “Who made that decision?” were asked.

And then came the statements that made us think. Many people admitted they had never eaten bobotie, so the question is raised: is it really South Africa’s national dish if some 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 UN, which therefore earned it the status of our national dish. So while it might not be everybody’s choice when it comes to the dish that best represents South African cuisine, it’s still one of the meals you should eat when you are in the country, especially in the Cape.

To try to solve this conundrum,

the Lifestyle Team have suggested their options for what qualifies as South Africa’s national dish, essentially one that brings people together.

The braai

Because South Africa is such a diverse country, it’s hard to work out 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; a good old Mzansi braai must include 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 smoky 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 wors?

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 braaied food being the national dish. Okay, vegetarians might not completely agree on this but braaied 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 braais. – 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 again, 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 enjoying life with the people you love. – Kaymery Swart

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

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. That is a bunny chow. 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

Even among us, there’s no consensus. It’s a variety of different dishes, including bobotie. But if there’s any consensus on what makes a dish deserve to be called the national dish, it is that you can’t find it anywhere else in the world.

It has to be unique to South Africa and when made outside the country, you should almost taste the missing distinguishing ingredient of Mzansi.

SOUTH Africans love to braai, so much so that’s there’s even a dedicated ‘Braai Day’ every year.

CHAKALAKA is a spicy vegetable relish that goes well with several South African dishes.

THE humble bunny chow is a firm favourite.

BOBOTIE is a uniquely South Africa dish.