The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Emaswati Foods. If you manage to be in an Emaswati restaurant or you are visiting Eswatini, I recommend the following
1. Umncweba
It is dried, raw meat (made from various types of meat) that is often marinated in vinegar and spices and consumed as a snack.
2. Umbidvo Wetintsanga
This dish is made from cooked pumpkin leaves mixed with peanuts. Because of their prickly texture, pumpkin tops may require a good amount of preparation before cooking.
3. Slaai
Slaai ingredients may vary, but avocado is a traditional ingredient, as are chopped peanuts. The way to make it like a local is to mix and marinate everything, then sprinkle with chopped peanuts and serve. This dish is very nutritious and a delicious side dish.
4. Braai
While many of the traditional meals in eSwatini are based on oatmeal and vegetables, there is a South African influence in many restaurants with lots of braais: meaning barbecues and grilled meat available. Made with different cuts of meat, mainly chicken, it is quite delicious.
5. Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob is another popular eSwatini dish that you can find in markets and street vendors. Besides grilled corn, you can also see “Tinkhobe”, which is whole corn cooked on the cob. Quick and delicious!
6. Emahewu
Emahewu is a drink made from fine fermented porridge oats. To make it, oatmeal is thoroughly mixed with water and cooked until it becomes a thin porridge, cooled and fermented for two to six days. To accelerate the fermentation process, malt is sometimes added after the mixture has cooled.
7. Siphuphe Semabhontjisi
Many traditional Swaziland dishes are based on a hard porridge, usually made of flour (cornmeal). In the case of “Siphuphe semabontjisi”, it is a thick porridge made from mashed beans.
8. Porridge
It is a well-known staple food consumed throughout the African continent. It is mainly composed of cooked cereals, such as oats, accompanied by nuts and pieces of fruit or simply honey. It is usually eaten for breakfast or mid-morning.
9. Emasi
This is kefir, a local delicacy. It is made from raw milk that is fermented and then filtered to remove the whey. It is also used to prepare two popular dishes: “emasi etinkhobe temmbila” and “emasi emabele”.
10. Tjwala
It is a traditional home brew made from corn (umcombotsi). It is usually easier to find in more rural areas, i.e. you won’t find it in bars, and it makes one’s senses quite dull as it is a strong drink, so drink it with care.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional African Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.