South Africa is a diverse country and with Heritage Day approaching in September, we know wedding bells will be ringing.
Weddings in South Africa are a joyous celebration for people to eat, drink, sing and dance. That’s how it’s always been in a South African traditional wedding, irrespective of the diverse cultures we have.
Whenever there is a wedding (where catering is not hired), old mamas usually cook up a storm for guests to feast on, and that’s why most families prefer slaughtering a cow – so that everybody eats.
Sometimes wedding activities like exchanging gifts, singing, speeches and so forth can take too much time before the food. That’s why you have to offer guests finger foods to snack on before the main course.
1. Local starters and canapés
For starters, offer them something light like traditional Indian samoosas and fill them with local tastes like beans, morogo (spinach) and braai-style fire-roasted pulled chicken or grilled crayfish.
You can also add umfino (maize meal cooked with cabbage and leafy greens) to the starters menu. Just make sure you serve these meals in small portions to leave room for the main course.
2. Local main dishes
“Our country is home to so many flavourful dishes,” notes Norman Heath, the Executive Chef at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront. “Each developed with unique stories behind what made them trend before they became set in stone as local favourites.”
The local main dishes are a chance for old mamas to show off their culinary skills. It’s possible to have a plate with samp, steamed bread and ting ya mabale (sour porridge made of sorghum and maize meal).
The plate will also have at least three to four salads (possibly a potato salad and chakalaka) and red meat and chicken. After all, “seven colours” is a South African plate.
These dishes are usually served on those big plates that decorate the room divider and only come out on special occasions. Again, it’s the old mamas who dish up, and if you’re lucky, you get extra meat.
3. Traditional wedding desserts
In my village in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, old men usually avoid dessert because they don’t want to upset their stomachs. Instead, they go for umqombothi (sorghum beer).
However, the rest of the guests are treated to a variety of desserts – from Indian sweetmeats to English tartlets to traditional malva and milk tart, we really are spoiled for choice.
Famous traditional desserts include custard and jelly, trifle, milk tart fillings for vanilla cakes, malva pudding and caramel cream flavours and even peppermint crisp fridge tart cake.
However you choose to cater for your wedding, rest assured that your favourite South African dishes can always be added to your menu.
