Potjiekos

Potjiekos is a stew-like dish that comes from the Dutch settlers in South Africa. It's made in a special type of pot called the Potjie pots. But, even before the Dutch figured it out, the Bantu people also used to make this. The Bantu were taught how to make it by the Arab traders and the Portuguese colonists that were in the area when they came to the area.

Potjiekos is very simple to make, while being very time consuming. It’s made from leftover vegetables or peels from other meals. It’s cooked over a fire, traditionally, for several hours, depending. Meats and other foods other than vegetables may be added to this dish, if so desired. For this dish, there is only a small amount of liquid that needs to be added for the dish to be perfect, without being watery like a soup is. A tip while making this is to never stir the pot while it is in the process of being cooked. It interrupts the ingredients from melding together so to say. Only after it’s done is the best time to stir it so all the flavors can meld properly.

This particular dish is almost as legendary as South African //braai.// It’s mostly homemade. Its not really known to be in some restaurants. The price is unknown when it comes to what is actually in it, where you would find it, and the quantity of the dish.The reason we should try this dish is because of how legendary it is and how popular it is there. It’s part of South Africa’s history and we should get the opportunity to get a “taste” of South African history.