Cuisine of Eswatini facts for kids
The cuisine of Eswatini is all about the food and cooking traditions in this southern African country. The types of food people eat often depend on the season and the region they live in.
The main foods, called staple foods, are sorghum and maize (which is corn). These are often served with goat meat, which is very popular in Eswatini. Farmers in the country grow crops like sugar cane, tobacco, rice, corn, and peanuts. They also raise goats and cattle for meat, which is sometimes exported to other countries.
Many people in Eswatini are subsistence farmers. This means they grow most of their own food. They also buy extra food from local markets to complete their meals. You can find fresh produce and foods imported from countries near the coast. Some markets even have food stalls where you can buy traditional Swazi meat stew, sandwiches, cornmeal dishes, and roasted corn on the cob when it's in season.
Traditional Swazi Foods
Eswatini has many delicious traditional dishes. Here are some common ones you might find:
- Sishwala—This is a thick porridge often served with meat or vegetables. It's a very common part of meals.
- Incwancwa—A sour porridge made from fermented cornmeal. Fermented means it has been left to change, giving it a unique taste.
- Sitfubi—This dish is made by cooking fresh milk and mixing it with cornmeal.
- Siphuphe setindlubu—A thick porridge made from mashed peanuts.
- Emasi etinkhobe temmbila—This combines ground corn with sour milk. Sour milk is milk that has naturally fermented.
- Emasi emabele—Similar to the above, but made with ground sorghum mixed with sour milk.
- Sidvudvu—A tasty porridge made from pumpkin mixed with cornmeal.
- Umncweba—This is dried uncooked meat, also known as biltong. It's a popular snack or addition to meals.
- Siphuphe semabhontjisi—A thick porridge made from mashed beans.
- Tinkhobe—Simply boiled whole maize kernels.
- Umbidvo wetintsanga—Cooked pumpkin tops (which are the leaves of the pumpkin plant) mixed with ground nuts.
- Emahewu—A refreshing drink made from thin fermented porridge.
- Umcombotsi—This is traditional brewed beer. In Siswati, the local language, it is called tjwala.
