Braai Season

Now that I have this beautiful balcony, and the weather has acutely turned summer, I thought it only appropriate to buy my own braai (rhymes with ‘pry’). A braai is synonymous with barbeque, but with a South African flair. It get’s its name from an Afrikaans word for ‘roasted meat’, but the term has been adopted by most all South Africans. Like a barbeque, it refers both to the grill as well as the cooking technique. While burgers aren’t unheard of, most commonly a braai would include boerewors (South Africa sausage), chicken or pork.

Another popular outdoor cooking style is the potjie (pronounced poi-key), which means ‘small pot’ in Afrikaans. It is the South African version of the Dutch Oven. While the modern form of the Dutch Oven has many shapes and sizes, in South Africa it is typically a cast iron, three legged pot that is placed directly over hot coals. It requires a fair amount of experience and skill as food must be layered to ensure the contents are cooked evenly. A potjie often includes a meat and then is layered with a variety of vegetables including potatoes, squash, mushroom, peppers, and onions among others things as per ones preferences. Spices and, sometimes, coconut milk is added. Its flavours reflect the South Africans’ love of entertaining over a meal and the diverse cultures in the area.

Outdoor cooking is an important part of life in South Africa, particularly because it is very warm during the long summers and it is practical to cook outside. Many upscale homes have full brick braai’s inside the home or built as part of their back porch. Gas is rarely used, and most often traditional wood coals are used for braai’s. However, charcoal is also becoming popular. Although this requires a considerable amount of time for the coals to become properly heated—before coming here, I can’t remember the last time I used actual coals!!- it provides plenty of time to chat and drink wine and fully participate in the lively discussion South Africans offer.