Recipes from Lesotho (2024)

My first week of 2015 was Not Good. I won't go into any details, but it involved a leaky toilet, a bad blower motor in my furnace, a broken microwave, two ruined pots and a lost camera. Among other things.

If this is how 2015 is going to be, I think I'm going to spend the whole year in bed.

In keeping with the spirit of the new year, my first blog meal of 2015 was also Not Good, though I won't say it came anywhere near all the other things that were Not Good about the first week of 2015. In fact, Not Good is probably too strong a sentiment, really, and just reflects how bitter I'm feeling at the moment.

Recipes from Lesotho (1)

The country is Lesotho, which I'm betting you haven't heard of unless you were really, really paying attention in your high school geography class. It's pretty small, like, roughly the size of the state of Maryland small. It's in southern Africa, and as a nation it’s actually very young—younger than the US by almost a half century.

Recipes from Lesotho (2)

Malealea, Lesotho. Photo by Daniel Weber.

Fifty years after the US emerged as a democracy, Lesotho emerged under a king. His name was Moshoeshoe, which might be the coolest name ever, and he led this small nation until his death in 1870, when the British took over. Because that was what always happened to small, African nations in those days. The British controlled Lesotho until 1966, when it finally gained independence. Today it has a constitutional monarchy not unlike England’s, with a figurehead monarch and a prime minister.

Recipes from Lesotho (3)

As with all tiny, obscure nations, Lesotho has limited online resources to turn to if you’re looking for traditional recipes. Wikipedia’s entry for “Cuisine of Lesotho” contains a grand total of 101 words of information, and I think the author padded it a little. To sum up this already summarized version: the cuisine of Lesotho is a mix of African and British influences. Staples include potatoes, seafood, rice and vegetables. Here’s the menu I chose (I had to go with—gasp—offline resources):

Curried Meat
(from The World Cookbook for Students)

  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1 lb stew beef, cubed
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1⁄2 lb cabbage, shredded roughly
  • 1⁄2 lb squash, cut into chunks

Here's what I did on the side:

Stewed Cabbage and Potatoes
(from The World Cookbook for Students)

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 10 oz potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
  • Water as needed
  • 10 oz white cabbage, shredded roughly
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped roughly
  • salt and pepper to taste

And to mop up the juices:

Mealie-Meal (Cornmeal Cakes)
(from Holidays of the World Cookbook for Students)

  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • Salt and pepper to taste

First, the beef:

Heat the oil in a pot and brown the meat on all sides. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Let cook for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Now add the curry powder, salt and vegetables. Let simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes until the squash is tender.

Recipes from Lesotho (4)

Here's how to do the mealie-meal:

First heat your oven to 375 degrees. Put the cornmeal into a pot with the sugar and oil. Add the boiling water and stir until blended. Set the flame on low and cover, stirring frequently, until the mixture becomes thick and porridgey (that should take 10 to 12 minutes). Now remove from the heat. Let cool.

Recipes from Lesotho (5)

Beat the egg yolks and mix in with the cornmeal. Stir to blend. Now beat the egg whites and fold those into the mix.

Recipes from Lesotho (6)

Drop the batter by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet, just as if you were making cookies. You want your patties to be about two inches wide and ¼ inch thick. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until they puff up and turn golden.

Recipes from Lesotho (7)

Now for the cabbage and potatoes:

In a large pot, sauté the onion in the oil, then add the curry powder. Stir for a minute or two, then add the potatoes and enough water to cover. Cook 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender but not completely cooked. Now add the cabbage and keep cooking until the potatoes are tender. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Recipes from Lesotho (8)

This was a good, hearty meal, great for winter but let's face it, not really very interesting. I used butternut squash in mine, which is really the only kind of squash I can tolerate. The whole meal was pretty filling, which is what you want if you live in a place where subsistence farming is the norm.
Moving on now, slowly, but really, still moving on ...

Next week: Liberia

Recipes from Lesotho (2024)

FAQs

What is the traditional dish of Lesotho? ›

Lesotho's food culture features likhobe (a stew with beans, berries, and sorghum), meat, and vegetables. Corn-based dishes include papa and motoho (fermented sorghum porridge). Basotho cuisine includes sauces, generally less spicy than other African countries. Beetroot and carrot salads are common side dishes.

What are the ingredients of Likhobe? ›

Lesotho Likhobe
  • Produce. • 1/4 cup Celery. • 1 tsp Coriander, ground. • 1/2 cup Dominican speckled beans or other speckled red beans. ...
  • Pasta & Grains. • 1 cup Bulghur wheat, coarse cracked. • 1 cup Sorghum grain.
  • Baking & Spices. • 1/2 tsp Black pepper. • 1 tsp Paprika. • 1 tsp Salt. ...
  • Oils & Vinegars. • 1 tbsp Coconut oil.

What is Chakalaka and PAP made of? ›

Lesotho chakalaka and pap-pap is a very typical meal. The national dish of Lesotho is Pap-pap, made from cornmeal. Chakalaka is a vegetable stew made with baked beans, peppers, carrots and onions, it's delicious. The Chakalaka is vegan and gulten free.

Is Lesotho located in South Africa? ›

Lesotho is a mountainous, landlocked country located in Southern Africa. It is an enclave, surrounded by South Africa. The total length of the country's borders is 909 kilometres (565 mi). Lesotho covers an area of around 30,355 square kilometres (11,720 sq mi), of which a negligible percentage is covered with water.

What makes Lesotho famous? ›

Lesotho is very mountainous. In fact, it has the “highest lowest point” of any country. No other nation can claim a base altitude as lofty as Lesotho's – 4,593ft (1,400m). It is the only independent state on the planet which exists entirely above 1,000m (3,281ft).

What are some Lesotho traditions? ›

The traditional performing arts include tribal dances and stick fighting, and visits to villages are likely to bring surprising encounters with traditional dancing. The country is also a treasurehouse of rock paintings made by the Bushmen (San tribes).

Is pap the same as fufu? ›

In West, East and areas of Central Africa the generic staple is FUFU -- a close relation to PAP. FUFU is called GHAAT in Eritrea and Ethiopia. FUFU is made rather arduously by pounding starchy root vegetables like cassava or yams in large vessels (much like a pestle and mortar).

What is Akamu and akara? ›

Description. English: This is a Nigerian dish made from fermented corn and Beans flour. It is used usually as breakfast or dinner. The pap is mixed with Sugar or honey or taken alone.

What is chakalaka in English? ›

Born in South African townships, chakalaka is a spiced-up version of English baked beans. This dish shows the strong influences from the Zulu, Dutch, English and Indian peoples that combine in this regional cuisine. Born in South African townships, chakalaka is a spiced-up version of English baked beans.

Why is Lesotho so unique? ›

Lesotho is the southernmost landlocked country in the world. It is the largest of the world's three independent states completely surrounded by the territory of another country, with Vatican City and San Marino being the other two.

What is the old name for Lesotho? ›

Lesotho (formerly Basutoland) was constituted as a native state under British protection by a treaty signed with the native chief Moshoeshoe in 1843. It was annexed to Cape Colony in 1871, but in 1884 it was restored to direct control by the Crown.

What are people from Lesotho called? ›

history | first language | A individual person from #Lesotho is called a Mosotho. Citizens of Lesotho 🇱🇸 are collectively Basotho, and Lesotho's native language is Sesotho.Basotho blankets as seen draped over the dancer, have deep cultural significance and history.

Is pelau an African dish? ›

Like many dishes from the East that were hybridized in the West Indies, pelau is a product of geographic syncretism: Rice, brought over from India, was cultivated in Trinidad's fertile Caroni swamp, and the cooking technique of charring meats in scorched sugar is an African tradition.

What is the national dish of Africa? ›

South African Bobotie is the beloved national dish. It is pronounced ba-boor-tea. A true comfort food always served with yellow rice called geelrys. The dish is a minced -curried meat casserole with a delicious egg custard topping.

What is the main religion in Lesotho? ›

Christianity is the dominant religion. The Christian Council of Lesotho, made up of representatives of all major Christian churches in the country, estimates that approximately 90 percent of the population is Christian.

What is North Africa's traditional dish? ›

The best-known North African/Berber dishes abroad are surely couscous and tajine.

References

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