Chakalaka
A spicy vegetable relish genuinely rooted in urban Black South African township culture around Johannesburg's gold mines, distinct in origin from the Afrikaner-associated dishes elsewhere on the site: the most-cited account ties it to Mozambican mineworkers cooking tinned tomatoes and beans with chile after their shifts, a quick, improvised relish born of necessity. Its name is said to come from Zulu slang meaning roughly 'thrown together,' a real reflection of its improvisational roots, and there's genuinely no single fixed authentic recipe: chakalaka varies widely by family and region, with cabbage, butternut, or curry powder all real, legitimate additions rather than one version being the definitive one.
Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, grated
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can)
- 1-2 chiles, minced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 can baked beans (optional)
- Oil
Steps
- Sauté the onion in oil until softened.
- Add the carrots and bell peppers, and cook a few minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, chile, and curry powder, and simmer until thickened.
- Fold in the baked beans if using, and simmer a few more minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature alongside pap, bread, or grilled meat.