'Rainbow cuisine' delicacies on offer at South African food festival in Dubai

Dubai: The sweet, smoky aroma of braai (Afrikaans for barbeque) and South African beverages filled the evening air as the first South African Food Festival opened at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Dubai on Sunday.

The food festival, made possible by South African Airways, in association with the South African Consulate General in Dubai and Radisson Blu Hotel, will run for a week to give Dubai residents a taste of South African cuisine and hospitality.

"We want people to hear South African music, to taste South African food and to feel the atmosphere of South Africa," the country's Consul General to the UAE, Fanus Schoeman, told Gulf News.

"This week, you can have a little bit of the taste [of South African food]. But the real thing is to go to South Africa to hear the lion roar, to see the beautiful beaches we have, to taste the fantastic food and to experience something totally different,' he added.

South African cuisine is a fusion of the many influences of South Africa. The cooking practices of its eleven tribes, along with the Dutch, French, British, Indian and Malay influences, make up what is popularly known as the "rainbow cuisine".

Extensive menu

On the menu are the braai or barbeque with pap (traditional porridge made from ground maize and other grains), boerewors (handmade sausages), potjiekos (stew prepared in a pot where meat is cooked with vegetables), biltong (cured and dried meat) salad, and many other preparations.

These authentic South African dishes will be served throughout the week courtesy of Chef Chris Makuku who was flown in from South Africa for the festival.

"When people are far away from home, they definitely miss their home food. So, what the management here did in conjunction with the Radisson Blu in South Africa, was to help in bringing food to where they are," Makuku said.

"You can see everybody here is so excited to have food that is cooked the South African way [where] we don't overcook anything for the purpose of having food that still has its nutrients."

Information

• What: First South African Food Festival
• Where: Radisson Blu Hotel — Dubai, Deira Creek
• When: December 4-10