Many dishes eaten today are closely based on dishes from past times, such as Pap, an accompaniment made from maize and eaten much like rice, which was and is a native black African staple, Bobotie, a spicy Malay dish similar to Shepherds Pie and Potjiekos which became an important dish during the Afrikaner's great trek and which you can read about in the Speciality Dish section. Amongst other favourites of the various cultures are biltong or dried meat, Boerewors, a type of sausage which is a legacy from German immigrants and Chakalaka which is a salad of Malay/Indian origin.

Another popular South African pastime is the braai, equivalent to our barbecue, which also dates back from the trekking days. All manner of fresh foods are cooked over coals and most suburban houses have a braai area.

As with many cuisines, a typical South African meal can range from from one dish to several dishes served at the same time or in courses. There are few hard and fast rules and this cuisine has something for everyone: from fresh crayfish simply cooked, to spicy Malay curries, to hearty Dutch stews and even variations on the British meat pie.