In brief
- Pap and chakalaka: cornmeal cooked in water, served with a curry and tomato vegetable stew.
- Origin: South Africa, associated with the townships and the gold mines of the Johannesburg region.
- Key ingredients: corn flour, onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, cabbage, tomato, kidney beans.
- A side dish for the braai, the South African barbecue, shared with family or friends.
Origins and cultural history of pap and chakalaka
Pap and chakalaka brings together two distinct South African preparations. Pap, a cornmeal or corn flour cooked in water until firm, is a staple food across much of Southern Africa, known under names such as mielie pap or stywepap. Chakalaka, a spiced vegetable stew, is said to have originated in the townships and near the gold mines of the Johannesburg region: several culinary sources link it to the workers who came to work there, who put the dish together with canned tomatoes and beans available on site and fresh vegetables from the market.
There is no single chakalaka recipe: each family adjusts the vegetables, the spices and the level of heat to its own taste. Served alongside the braai, the South African barbecue, it is also eaten with bread or a meat stew.
What are the key ingredients of pap and chakalaka
The dish combines a corn flour base with a vegetable stew spiced with curry, canned tomatoes and beans.
- corn flour (cornmeal, mielie meal)
- onion
- garlic
- red and green peppers
- carrots
- white cabbage
- canned tomatoes and kidney beans
What to know about pap and chakalaka
Pap and chakalaka brings together two South African preparations: pap, a maize meal cooked in water until firm and neutral in taste, and chakalaka, a vegetable stew spiced with curry and chili, with onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, cabbage, tomato and red beans. It goes alongside the braai, the South African grill, and is shared with family or friends. Chakalaka is also eaten with bread or a meat stew.
Frequently asked questions about pap and chakalaka
Is pap and chakalaka spicy?
The heat comes from the fresh chilli and curry powder in the chakalaka, in an amount that varies widely from one family to another. Reduce the chilli and curry for a milder version, or add an extra chilli for more kick. Pap itself always stays neutral in taste.
Can the vegetables in chakalaka be varied?
Yes: it is a dish that changes from kitchen to kitchen. Courgette, sweetcorn kernels or aubergine sometimes replace part of the peppers or carrots, and kidney beans sometimes give way to white beans. Keep the onion, garlic, tomato and curry powder base.
Where to find the ingredients for pap and chakalaka in France?
NKOSI sells the curry powder, garlic paste, onion powder, paprika and tomato paste needed for the chakalaka, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
