Nothing beats good homemade traditional foods.
Those who stay true to their culture bring the food of their country with them wherever they go.
This article shares beautiful Zulu traditional foods.
Traditional Zulu food Isijingi (L) and Amadumbe (R). Photo: @zulunomics, @Musa_Kay (modified by author)Source: UGC
Basically, you should use the simplest recipe you’re able to find.
Famous Zulu traditional food in South Africa
Zulufoodis a significant aspect of the tribe’s traditions.
These meals are an expression of their cultural identity.
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So, high-end restaurants and hotels selling Zulu food are highly appreciated for promoting this tribe’s culture.
Consequently, many foreigners have fallen in with thesenative dishesthe very first time they have a bite.
Amazi/amasi
South Africa’samazi or amasiis a popular traditional Zulu drink.
Amazi in a white bowl (L) and sifted in a strainer bowl (R). Photo: @zolanenechef, @anees88photo (modified by author)Source: UGC
It is curdled milk resembling cottage cheese or crumbled yogurt.
Zulu people pour fresh milk in a gourd and set aside for a few days.
After thickening, they separate the curd from the whey and store it for a day.
Uphuthu served with spicy beef, salad, cabbage, and potato stew. Photo: @bygracefoodaffair, @zolanenechef (modified by author)Source: UGC
What’s more, Zulu people do not regularly clean their milk gourds.
Instead, they only refill the guards with fresh milk.
The bacteria on the walls on the non-washed guard gives the milk a strong sour Amazi taste.
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Uphuthu
Maize is a crucial part of traditional food for Zulu culture.
They have many maize-based dishes, thenative uphuthubeing one of them.
It is a thick porridge made from coarsely ground maize.
Amadumbe in bowls. Photo: @zulunomics, @zolanenechef (modified by author)Source: UGC
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3.
Amadumbe
Amadumbe is a legume, and it resembles sweet potatoes.
These two are prepared the same way.
Ujeqe served on plates. Photo: @foodandlifewithvuyi, @AfricanistaFoods (modified by author)Source: UGC
They can be boiled, steamed, or grilled.
People of all ages can eat it, but Zulu people often usemashed amadumbeas a weaning food.
Today, South Africans cut amadumbe into strips and deep fry them to substitute French fries.
Umqombothi in a traditional beer pot (L) and native cups (R). Photo: @AfricanTraditionalHomeandWear, @lalelafoods (modified by author)Source: UGC
Modernujeqe variantsof this white Zulu bread are steamed in vegetable steamers.
Umqombothi
Umqombothi is atraditional beermade from maize, sorghum, yeast, and water.
This traditional Zulu drink is prepared in native beer pots called ukhamba.
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The pots are made the traditional way using clay extracted from river beds.
The drink is common in traditional Zulu weddings.
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6.
Chakalaka served on plates. Photo: @zola_nene, @TheCozyCook (modified by author)Source: UGC
Chakalaka
Chakalaka is one of the most consumedSouth African dishes.
Conventionally, men working in gold mines prepared this spicy tomato relish.
The Zulus and other tribes across South Africa later embraced it.Chakalaka recipesvary depending on the family.
Isibhede porridge (L) and Amahewu porridge (R). Photo: @zola_nene, @kalekyehealthmoments (modified by author)Source: UGC
Zulu porridge (isibhede and amahewu)
Porridge commonly features in the events serving isiZulu cuisines.
It is typically served out of three-legged cooking pots in Zulu villages.
Thenative isibhedeis the fermented version.
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Its sour taste makes the tongue tingle.
Zulu porridge is commonly served with spicy dishes and chunks ofroasted meat.
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8.
Corn pudding on a plate (L) and in a bowl (R). Photo: @PreciousKitchen, @ninjacue (modified by author)Source: UGC
Koki corn
Corn pudding orkoki cornis similar to Mexican tamales and is among Zulu’s most common desserts.
When the ingredients are heated, they thicken into a cream and should cool before eating.
Roast meat
TheMzansi braai, or roast meat, is the most famous traditional food for Zulu culture.
Roast meat on a wooden chopping board (L) and roast meat served with vegetables and roast potatoes (R). Photo: @DublinMeatCo, @FOODbible (modified by author)Source: UGC
They eat wild and domesticated meat with vegetable-based broths and soups.
These people serveroasted meaton large wooden pans called ugqoko.
They also have skilled hunters who hunt buffalos, kudu, and waterbucks.
Zulu iDombolo with meat and vegetable stew (L) and plain iDombolo (R). Photo: @mfazanabusiness, @ekhishin (modified by author)Source: UGC
10. iDombolo/Dombolo
iDombolo is a traditional Zulu tribe’s food.
Unlike traditional dumplings, you use yeast in iDombolo instead of baking powder.
Zulus steamiDombolo or domboloon top of boiling stews, while other South Africans cook it separately.
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11.
It is a soft and fluffy steamed rice cake made by fermenting batter from soaked rice and black grams.
Umfino
Mzansi’slocal umfinois a cornmeal Zulu dish made from maize flour, water, spinach, and/or amaranth leaves.
Idli served with dipping soups and a doughnut. Photo: @thefoodieconnoisseurcorner, @recipehouse (modified by author)Source: UGC
The leaves give this dish its characteristic green look.
Umfino goes well with uphuthu and roast chicken or any othermeat-based meals.
Isitambu
Isitambu is a South African Zulu dish made of maize and sugar beans.
Umfino dish (L) served with uphuthu and roast chicken (R). Photo: @dlendle, @DineWithPurity (modified by author)Source: UGC
The meal goes well with most meat-based Zulu dishes.
Thenative isitambuis also known as umngqusho.
It is a staple meal for most South African families.
Isitambu served with chicken gizzards and cabbage (L) and Isitambu served in a bowl. Photo: @zolanenechef (modified by author)Source: UGC
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14. you’ve got the option to add peanut butter and macadamia to yourhomemade isijeza.
The dish goes well with fresh milk or amazi.
Isijingi
Thetraditional isijingiis a Zulu dish made from pumpkin and maize meal.
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Some people add eggs to the dish.
The maize meal and precooked pumpkin are added to boiling water and mashed into a fine paste.
Alternatively, you might make a thick porridge instead of a fine paste.
Isijeza pudding with a macadamia crust (L) and isijeza with meat. Photo: @tapitapidesserts, @HindsSpices (modified by author)Source: UGC
Isijingi is popularly served with beef or othermeat-based delicacies.
Koeksisters
Traditional koeksisters are fried dough infused with syrup or honey.
After that, submerse them in ice-cold sugar syrup.
Isijingi pudding in bowls. Photo: @musa_kay, @zolanenechef (modified by author)Source: UGC
Their name comes from the Dutch word “koek,” which means wheat flour confectionery.
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17.
Mogodu
Mogodu is a popular South African food, especially in the Zulu tribe.
Koeksisters in a pot and a plate. Photo: @DreamyTaste1, @zaccharybird (modified by author)Source: UGC
The dish is a combination of chopped serobe (tripe) and mala (intestines).
The stew is served with hot pap (stiff maize flour porridge) or iDombolo dumpling.
Zulu people also call this delicacymala mogodu.
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What are the best Zulu traditional food?
The most famous Zulu traditional food in South Africa are:
What do Zulus eat?
The Zulu people eat communally, with several families cooking together.
Mogodu stew in bowls. Photo: @cookingwithZanele, @Babeswekishi (modified by author)Source: UGC
Most meals are cooked over an open fire in large three-legged pots.
What is usually served on a Zulu traditional wedding food menu?
Zulu traditional food is easy to make.
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In ordinary households, the staple dish would be maize meal, vegetables, and meat (inyama).
There are many pictures of traditional South African food online.
you’ve got the option to always look them up to know how the dish looks.
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Photo: canva.com (modified by author)Source: Original
She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019.
The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course.
you’re free to email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle.
Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University.
She has more than five years in writing.
In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024.
Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
