Vegetarian recipes from South Africa

South African cooking crosses three inheritances: African starches, the breads and bakes of Dutch settlers, and the spices brought by the Cape Malay and Natal Indian communities. White maize meal, pap, is the neutral base of most meals, eaten with a sauce or a well-seasoned vegetable. Chakalaka, a mix of baked beans, grated carrot, peppers and curry powder, plays exactly that role: a spicy relish that turns a starch into a meal. Vegetable oil dominates, with onion and curry powder as the aromatic base.

The clearest signature is the pairing of sweet with spice, inherited from the Cape Malay kitchen. Lentil bobotie sets the measure: curried lentils, dried apricots or raisins, chutney, all covered with an egg custard and baked, a bay leaf standing in the top. Pumpkin, grown everywhere, becomes sweet cinnamon fritters, pampoenkoekies. Dessert stays very sweet and hot-soaked, as with apricot malva pudding, drenched in cream sauce straight from the oven.