South African

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Uphuthu (Crumbly Maize Porridge)

South Africa's crumbly maize porridge: white maize meal cooked in very little water and broken up with a fork, so it comes to the table as dry, separate crumbs rather than one mass. Given plenty of water the same meal becomes the pap you tear off by hand; cut the water and you get this. Tipping the meal in all at once without stirring, keeping the lid on for the first few minutes, and breaking rather than pressing are the whole method.

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Bunny Chow (Mutton Curry in a Hollowed Loaf)

Durban's bunny chow: a quarter of an unsliced white loaf, hollowed out and filled with a thick mutton and potato curry. The scooped-out bread sits on top for dipping, and the walls are torn off by hand as you go. A bread bowl drinks what it holds, and here nothing stops it: the curry-soaked inner wall is the point of the dish.

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Bobotie

South Africa's national dish: curried minced meat studded with raisins and almonds, baked under a golden egg-and-milk custard. Sweet, savory, and fragrant, this comforting casserole is served with yellow rice and chutney.