Cape Town’s Muslim Cuisine Combines Malay, South African And Indian Influences

It was a meal at a wine estate near Cape Town, South Africa that sparked an unexpected journey to explore one of the region’s most fascinating cuisines. I spent a whole day checking out the wine scene near Cape Town. A day that took me to four wine estates all within a couple of hours from what has quickly become one of my favourite cities in the world. Le Pommier (Apple tree in French) wine estate was once a flourishing apple orchard (hence the name) that dates back to the 1690s. It’s located between the main route between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, both wine hotspots. It was here that I first sampled Bobotie, a South African casserole. It took me straight to the area where this dish probably originated and to discover Cape Malay cuisine in one of Cape Town’s most ‘Instagrammed’ spots.
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Ask any local for the most photogenic neighbourhood in Cape Town, and there’s a good chance you’ll get directed to Bo-Kaap (translates to ‘above the Cape’ in Afrikaans). Almost every corner in this grid formerly known as the city’s Malay Quarter is a great spot for pictures. Brightly coloured homes are complemented by cobble-stoned streets in an area that contains the largest concentration of pre-1850 architecture in South Africa. Bo-Kaap Kombuis is a local legend and a restaurant that serves authentic Cape Malay cuisine. So what is this unique cuisine and its origin? A trip to the Bo-Kaap museum in the area is your best bet for a back story that goes back to the days of the Dutch East India company.
Cape Town developed from the colony set up at Cape of Good Hope by the Dutch. During this period the Dutch also colonised Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) and Dutch Malacca (now in Malaysia – that is also the hub for Peranakan cuisine) from 1641 to 1824. The Dutch brought many slaves from this region that also included Indians many of whom were Muslims. Slavery was abolished in the 19th century after the British took over the area. Most freed slaves began congregating around Cape Town which was the only centre of Islamic faith back then in the region. Bo-Kaap is also home to the historic Nurul mosque established in the 1840s. The community began to be known as the Cape Malay community even though many of them were also from India. The community began to develop its own unique cuisine that is now recognised as one of South Africa’s most unique micro cuisines.

Yusuf and Nazli who set up Bo-Kaap Kombuis (Cook house) are from the area. I didn’t announce my arrival and opted for one of their three Cape Malay tasting platters and a dessert platter. The tasting platter included a lamb curry, bobotie and a chicken curry that was served with rice, Malay-style sambals and rooti (spelt with an extra ‘o’). Each of these dishes featured a unique burst of flavours. The lamb curry had a unique tamarind twist. The team mentioned how most dishes contain turmeric, cumin and coriander in addition to a masala. Some of the dishes also incorporate cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. While the Malay influence is dominant, you will also see Indian influences and South African elements in the cuisine. The curries are usually paired with rooties. Their layered rooti includes butter, flour and water. It was closer to the Malabar parotta in South India than the roti from Northern India.
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Faldela Williams can take a lot of the credit for the renewed interest in Cape Malay cuisine. She authored three cookbooks including the Cape Malay Cookbook that offer great insights into the unique flavours and cooking styles. These are some of the quintessential Cape Malay dishes you must try if you’re ever in South Africa. Let’s take a look.

Here’re 5 Classic Dishes Of Cape Malay Cuisine:

1. Koe’sisters:

A traditional Cape Malay pastry with a cake-like texture dusted with desiccated coconut. These are prepared from balls of dough flavoured with spices like cinnamon and cardamom before they’re cooled, cooked in a boiling syrup before being dusted with coconut.

2. Sosatie:

Satay or sate – skewers served with peanut sauce, is one of Malaysia’s best-known dishes. Sosatie is the Cape Town version and takes its name from sate and saus (for spicy sauce). Chunks of mutton are marinated (mostly overnight) with flavouring agents like garlic and curry leaves and then pan-fried or grilled.

3. Bobotie:

Sometimes referred to as South Africa’s national dish because of how popular this dish has become. This casserole (sometimes served in restaurants in a cast iron skillet) features curried ground meat at the base with a layer of egg custard on top. The version I tried was served with a yellow rice and sambal as accompaniments.

4. Biryani:

The Cape Malay version is unique because it uses lentils along with meat. The spices are similar in Indian versions of biryani but the rice, lentils, meat and gravy are cooked separately and mixed together.

5. Tomato Bredie:

It takes its name from the Afrikaans word for stew (bredie). This stew is now eaten across the country but is believed to have been introduced by the Cape Malays. This spiced stew combines tomato, mutton ribs and vegetables that are cooked for a long time with seasonings.