Braai: The most popular word in South Africa

August 1, 2016

The food on this trip has been absolutely amazing, and meals would usually compliment big celebrations or achievements. The first two weeks of our trip involved consulting with our entrepreneurs and providing business recommendations. We had two weeks to meet with them, pepper them with questions, and draft up a solution to their main issues. This all ended in a presentation where we had to make a case as to whether our entrepreneur deserved funding. It was different from a standard school project; the success of someone we had grown incredibly close with was on the line. In the end, our entrepreneur did end up winning one of the six grants being given out. He was among other hard working South Africans who owned cleaning services, bakeries, and clothing stores and had built them from extremely limited funds.

I’d never seen so many people cry happy tears in one room. To have been a part of something so beneficial – helping these people who wanted to create jobs in their local communities – was a beautiful opportunity. The 100+ people celebrated with a braai, the South African version of a barbecue. This has been my favorite food experience while I’ve been here. The meal is comprised of either lamp chops, chicken, or sausages cooked on an open flame. Side dishes include pap (a corn porridge), roasted corn, potatoes, and – my personal favorite – chakalaka (a vegetarian bean dish akin to chili). Most times when we have large gatherings or celebrations here, we have some version of a braai along with dancing and music.

Another favorite on this trip is rooibos tea, an earthy sweet South African drink. It’s popular on its own or when transformed into rooibos lattes and cappuccinos. Perhaps the most anticipated type of food on this trip was Cape Malay Cuisine. It’s prepared with a blend of spices, heavy on the tumeric, other staples like onions, bay leaves, and tomatoes. Our uber driver recommended we eat at Mama Africa to experience the best Cape Malay food, and we were not disappointed. Included on the menu was ostrich steak, crocodile kebabs, and Moroccan lamb pot roast. I chose a safer option: Mama’s vegetable curry. All in all, If you have a chance to eat one meal in Cape Town, I would head to Mama Africa.

Food is a huge part of any travel experience, and in South Africa food is incredibly important to the culture. There are eleven official languages in South Africa, and “braai” is the only word that means the same thing in all of them.

Written By

Andia Paz

During my dialogue, I'll be exploring Cape Town, South Africa. We'll be working with our academic partner TSiBA to provide business consulting services to township entrepreneurs. The program also delves into topics like unemployment and poverty and other social, economic, and political issues in South Africa. I've chosen this program because it is the best use of my business skills acquired throughout my Northeastern career, allowing me to focus on social impact rather than profit. I traveled outside of the U.S. for the first time only last summer, and it really inspired me to seek out a study abroad experience. I've recently developed an avid interest in the outdoors, and look forward to the hiking that Cape Town has to offer.