As soon as December begins, Christmas caroling starts in my head and all I feel like doing is getting cozy in my blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and a Christmas movie on screen. Winters tend to make us lazy and I genuinely don’t feel like getting out of bed. What springs the excitement in me is the thought of Christmas. Oh yes, there is festivity and joy in the air and the colourful décor and bright lights make me feel alive. While Christmas is celebrated with a lot of fervour and cheer in England, South Africa is not far behind too. Did you know that South Africa follows a similar tradition of Christmas special lunch? Surprisingly yes, but the delicacies served on the table are same yet different in their own ways.
What’s special to the British resonates with the South Africans too. In the 19th century, several British who settled in the region brought the Christmas traditions with them. One of the most important of them is Christmas lunch/dinner rituals. All of the family gets together to sit down and pray to Lord Jesus for many more Christmas days to come. The table is laden with all kinds of delectable foods and everyone eats and makes merry.
While you might find some of the dishes to be similar to British Christmas feast, there are some others which are unique to the South Africans. Here’s what you can expect on a South African Christmas plate.
1. Roast Leg Of Lamb
Slow-roasted lamb is cooked to perfection with the slow-cooking technique. The juices and flavours of red wine and herbs like rosemary and ground pepper give the roasted leg of the lamb the ideal taste. This can be paired with a lip-smacking gravy and some potatoes and other vegetables. South Africans love indulging in this flavourful dish for Christmas lunch.
2. Nigerian Fried Rice
Did you know that rice is quite special to the Africans? Especially when it comes to Christmas meals, rice is a must. This Nigerian version of fried rice is loaded with vegetables, beef liver, oil and any kind of protein you like. It could be chicken, pork, fish or shrimps. The flavourful rice is spruced up with several regional spices which lend the dish a distinct taste. Another rice dish that South Africans cannot resist on the Christmas table is geels rys. Turmeric and lemon rind lend the rice bright yellow colour while cinnamon and raisins add to the aroma and sweetness respectively.
3. Koeksisters
Now comes the sweet part. Any Christmas feast is incomplete without the dessert section. You definitely have your plum cakes and Christmas pudding in place but the traditional sweets are something that you can spot from a distance. This interestingly-shaped dessert is quite similar to a deep-fried doughnut that has been glazed with sticky and sweet syrup. The doughnuts are not the usual round shape with a hole in the middle but more like twisted knot sticks made with coconut milk and rice.
4. Glazed Gammon
Gammon is South Africa refers to ham. While glazed ham is a long-lost recipe of Christmas in England, this is significant treat for the South Africans. This classic is double-cooked, first on a stove and then in an oven along with vegetables. The highlight of the dish is the braising of the boneless pork with a honey and mustard glaze which lends the ham a tinge of sweetness and a shine unmatched.
5. Malva Pudding
You might love having the Christmas pudding on the special day but Malva pudding is a South African specialty that has a very distinguishable taste. The caramel-flavoured spongy pudding is sweet and hot, best eaten with a side of custard or ice cream. The infusion of apricot jam makes the pudding very fruity and tasty.
From savouries to decadent desserts, there is no end to the South African specialties which also include the traditional turkey and mince pies in their spread.