10 Most Popular Foods in Eswatini

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The Eswatini cuisines can be determined by their geographical regions and seasons. The locals in the country enjoy maize and sorghum, which are also considered their staple foods. Besides, for the livestock, people there prefer goat meat.

The residents of Eswatini have some good taste in food which is also easily reflected from their mouthwatering cuisines. There are a bunch of foods there which both the tourists and locals enjoy. However, we have listed the 10 most popular foods in Eswatini with their recipes for you to try.

1. Umncushu

Umnacushu, or in simple words, porridge, is something foodies don’t want to miss in Eswatini. This classic Swazi dish is prepared with a samp as the key ingredient. Samp is dehulled maize kernels. These kernels are pounded until they completely break. The dish also includes beans which are normally Jugo beans or sugar beans.

Recipe for umncushu

2. Umncweba and Umkhunsu

Both the umncweba and umkhunsu are dried forms of meat and one of Eswatini’s specialties. However, both of these foods have a little different recipe for preparation. Umncweba is a dried and uncooked meat with a blend of spices and marinated in vinegar. While umkhunsu is first cooked and then dried.

Recipe for umncweba and umkhunsu

3. Sishwala

Sishwala is another delicious porridge from Eswatini. It is cooked until it thickens, and then it is served with vegetables and meats. Locals love eating it for breakfast. The key ingredients in the recipe are maize flour, sugar beans, salt, and water.

Recipe for sishwala

4. Imbasha 

Imbasha is a popular snack in Eswatini. It is semi-dry maize kernels roasted in a pan until they turn golden brown; once the color changes, saltwater and peanuts are added and then roasted a little more.

Recipe for imbasha  

5. Sitfubi

Swazis enjoy eating sitfubi for breakfast. It is prepared with fresh milk that is cooked and then combined with cornmeal. Other ingredients in the recipe include sugar, honey, salt, and tropical fruits. Its texture and flavor resemble wheat cream to a great extent.

Recipe for sitfubi  

6. Lipalishi

Lipalishi is maize porridge commonly referred to as pap. For making lipalishi, maize is first dried, dehulled, and then ground into a mealie flour. Once the mealie is prepared, it is added to boiling water and cooked to form the porridge.

Recipe for lipalishi

7. Sidvudvu

Sidvudvu is a porridge that is made with a combination of cornmeal and pumpkin. The dish also requires other ingredients such as maize, sour cream, cumin, butternut, nutmeg, and salt. It is served while warm and garnished with pumpkin seeds. Once cooked, it gives a radish color.

Recipe for Sidvudvu

8. Chicken Dust

Chicken dust is a specific form of barbeque chicken. It is one of the most popular cuisines in the country. It is easy to prepare, cheap, and delicious. Locals mostly eat it with salad and pap, which makes a good combo.

Recipe for chicken dust

9. Sinkhwa Sembila 

Sinkhwa sembila, aka the mealie bread, is one of the famous edibles of Eswatini. It is easily available on food trucks around the country. Traditionally, the bread is steamed, not baked. The cooking process gives the bread a very soft consistency for better taste.

Recipe for sinkhwa sembila

10. Bhatata

Bhatata is a sweet potato dish. It is also cooked and eaten in other countries like Lebanon. People in rural areas consume this dish very much. There are various recipes for bhatata. These potatoes can be cooked, baked, mashed, fried, and even served as chips.

Recipe for bhatata

Sources

Wikipedia

Chefs Pencil