Chakalaka recipe from South Africa

This Chakalaka recipe in its present form probably originated in the kitchens of the townships and mining settlements in and around Johannesburg South Africa. The dish is still quite new. It is said that it originated in the hostels where the men in the townships lived. This is where the miners who worked in the gold mines around Johannesburg lived. They are said to have diced their ingredients together to cook a vegetable stew. They also served corn "pap", a porridge made from corn. This one is also known as Mielie Pap. The workers in the hostels had little money to spend. Therefore, there were no solid ingredients for the dish. The recipe can therefore also be used well for recycling leftovers.

Where does the Chakalaka dish come from?

It is not known exactly where the name came from. Some say it comes from the Bantu language Setswana. Others say it means "quick and tasty". Still others claim it comes from Fanagalo, the language of the miners around Johannesburg. There are also versions that differ in spelling. One reads Chakka Lakka as well as Shakalaka. However, the name Chakalaka has spread internationally. The Chakalaka dish definitely comes from the kitchens of the workers in the townships of South Africa.

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Is there an original Chakalaka recipe?

You keep reading about the Chakalaka recipe in its original version. However, these do not exist. Because the dish was created from what was in stock in the kitchen at the time. Therefore, the preparation is diverse. Depending on what the workers had available, they added onions, carrots, potatoes, peppers, cabbage, garlic, chili, and curry powder. There was also ginger or coriander sometimes. Today you can even do one Buy spice mix for Chakalaka *. Originally you spiced it up with what was available at the time. Because curry has been widely used, some believe that chakalaka is inspired by the curries used in Asian cuisines. This is how some see the origin of the dish in the Indo-Malay region.

However, if the origin of the name from the Bantu language is correct, the Chakalaka recipe could also come from the kitchens of Botswana. A thick sauce made from tomatoes and onions is still made there today.

Chakalaka eat in restaurants

Today the Chakalaka recipe is common as a sauce, soup or stew. In the shebeens, the pubs of the townships, it is often served as an ingredient for poultry, lamb, rice or corn porridge. It also tastes good with Boerewors, a type of sausage that is on the menu in many restaurants in South Africa. Chakalaka is usually spicy. Therefore, Amasi, a type of soured curdled milk that is very popular in Africa, is often added.

African Chakalaka in the Shebeens of South Africa

In the Shebeens I got to know African Chakalaka on my travels through South Africa. Chakalaka with Boerewors is one of my favorite South African dishes. In combination with the coarse sausage, the vegetable sauce tastes fresh. I liked it best with Mielie Pap or with mashed potatoes. So I like to cook the dish at home. Chakalaka, for example, can be done well in one with a Dutch Oven the Camping or on campfire prepare. Dutch oven accessories you can also find here.

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Ingredients for our recipe for Chakalaka (8 servings)

an onion
a clove of garlic
three carrots
one red pepper and one each
green pepper
half a head of white cabbage
six tablespoons of oil
a tablespoon of salt
five tablespoons of chakalaka spice
150 grams of green peas
400 grams of chunky tomatoes in a can
400 grams of white beans
a tablespoon of sugar
Salt at will

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Preparing the recipe for Chakalaka from South Africa

First, finely chop the onion and garlic.

Wash the vegetables and remove the cores from the peppers. Clean the carrots and cut the stalk from the white cabbage. Cut the vegetables into small cubes or thin strips.

Add half of the oil to the cabbage and salt it. Knead the cabbage well and then let it steep for a few minutes.

Put the oil in one pan and fry the chopped onions and garlic cloves in it.

Add the bell peppers and let everything simmer for ten minutes.

Add the Chakalaka spice and then stir the vegetables well.

Add the cabbage, carrots, and peas to the vegetable mixture. Add the diced tomatoes and the beans. Season with sugar and mix the vegetables well.

Let the vegetable mixture simmer for about 20 minutes and finally season with salt. If you want it to be particularly spicy, you can add some chili powder.

The Chakalaka recipe from South Africa is traditionally served with corn porridge. But it also goes well with rice or mashed potatoes, coarse sausages or poultry, lamb or ribs.

South African recipes

Find more Recipes from South Africa you can also find here.

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Source: own research on site. My opinion is definitely my own.

Chakalaka recipe from South Africa