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Seswaa

Botswana Cuisine

Pap

Pap

Pap is a staple inBotswana. It is a type of porridge made from ground corn or other kinds of grain.

There are different kinds of pap: the slap pap, which is a smooth meal porridge; the stywe pap, which can be firmly held in the hand because of its thick consistency; and the phutu pap, which is crumbly because of its dryness.

Pap is also known as ugali in other parts ofAfrica. InBotswana, it can also be referred to as phaletshe. It can be eaten with a variety of other food such as green vegetables, grilled meat, or stew.

Vetkoek

Vetkoek

Vetkoek is a popular pastry inBotswana, and its name can be literally translated to “fat cake.”

It is a deep-fried snack that is made of dough, usually with mince fillings. The dough is made up of a mixture of yeast, salt, and flour. The filling is cooked before being placed inside the dough.

Another variation of vetkoek is one that is filled with jam instead of the minced meat.

There are also some kinds of vetkoek that have no fillings. Instead, the pastry is spread with jam, syrup, or honey.

 Seswaa

Seswaa

Seswaa, also sometimes referred to as chotlho, is a meat dish that is traditionally prepared for the most special occasions inBotswana.

Men are the usual cooks for seswaa, which is cooked in an iron pot with three legs. The meat is left to simmer inside the pot until it is very soft. There is no seasoning inside the iron pot with the meat – there is only salt and water.

After the seswaa is done, it can be served as is or with garnishing such as vegetables. Festivities in Botswana won’t be complete without this dish being served to the guests.

Bogobe

Bogobe

Bogobe is a popular porridge dish inBotswana. The ingredients for this dish are corn, sorghum, or millet flour.

The ingredients are first added to a pot of boiling water. The mixture is stirred continuously until a soft paste is formed. The dish is then allowed to cook slowly until it is ready to be served.

In some instances, the corn or sorghum is first fermented. Milk and sugar are then added to the bogobe to add a unique flavor to an already unique dish.

Sometimes, a cooking melon – known as lerotse – and sour milk is added to the bogobe as an alternative way of preparing it.

Mopane worms

Mopane worms

Mopane worms are a delicacy inBotswana. Incidentally, though their name says “worms,” they are actually caterpillars. They are caught in the forested areas ofBotswana.

Mopane worms can be prepared in a variety of ways: they can either be boiled in hot water, cooked over hot ashes, or dried in the sun before frying in oil.

The various preparation methods make sure that any bacteria that have accumulated on the mopane worms are eliminated before consumption, so you don’t have to worry about getting sick. All you need to do is to enjoy the taste of these delectable worms, no matter how they are cooked.