There are few better ways to appreciate the culture of a country than through its street food. Take two and a half Americans to Soweto…

What is Street Food

Street food is tasty, authentic food purchased from makeshift stalls often close to transportation hubs. It is estimated that as much as 40% of all food in the developing world is sold by these vendors.   

It is most definitely not fast food, which is generally uniform and bland. However, the greatest threat to street food is from international fast food franchises with their huge marketing budgets and calls to loyalty.

Street Food in South Africa

South Africa is noted for its cultural diversity, which is reflected in its street food. On the roadside you can buy everything from roasted green mielies to boerewors rolls. But there are some staples.

Probably the most famous street food is the bunny chow or variations of it. The original is a half or full loaf of hollowed bread stuffed with curry developed by working-class Indians in Durban. It is an everyman dish that is delicious and messy. The most common township variation is ‘the quarter’, which is filled with hot chips, fried polony, cheese and a Russian sausage – fabulous, unless you have a cholesterol problem.

Another heart-stopping staple is the ‘vetkoek’, a savoury doughnut-type roll that can be eaten as is or stuffed with meat, cheese or relish. Then there is the more interesting stuff: amanqina – boiled and spiced hoof of cow, pig or sheep; mala – boiled then fried chicken intestines; maotwana or walkie-talkies – cleaned, salted chicken feet boiled then fried; umngqusho – samp and beans; mogodu – boiled tripe normally served with samp and beans; and skop – a township staple of braised cow, sheep or goat head, eaten on the bone.

A Day in Soweto        

I took two and a half Americans on a culinary tour of Soweto – South African born Amanda, who is married to an American, and her two teenage daughters, Sidney and Taylor. Before we embarked I ascertained that they were all meat eaters.

Our first stop was at Sfiso Zondo, who boils head of beef under a pedestrian bridge at the Baragwanath taxi rank. The meat was brought from two cauldrons to a stainless steel table dotted with heaps of salt and peri-peri sauce. Amanda was game, but the girls professed an instant conversion to vegetarianism.

Walkie-talkies

Our next stop was Kliptown. The ‘vetkoek’ made by Elton and Justine Mhlapo, who get up at three every morning to make the dough, was pronounced amazing and more was ordered. I can attest to this because it is the best I have ever tasted.

Then it was on to Dimpho Phurop for a quarter. Again the verdict was an adjective laden affirmation – with Sidney stating she had never had French fries that good. In my notebook I recorded a renunciation of vegetarianism as the polony and Russian were devoured with relish.

But the vegetarianism came back soon after when they were offered walkie-talkies by Refiloe Pule. Then they were meat eaters again with boerewors on Vilakazi Street and back to vegetarians when presented with mogodu in Orlando.

A Day of Fun

It would be easy to laugh at western sensitivities to delicacies of other cultures, and I did guffaw loudly at times. But as we were driving back they all said it was the best day they had ever had in South Africa. So when you have overseas visitors, don’t take them to a five star restaurant in the suburbs, but rather treat them to an authentic local experience.