User:Lorato Othusitse/Dijo tsa Setswana,Botswana

Botswana cuisine is different even it has some characteristics which are similar to those of some countries in Southern Africa. Examples of those includes maize meal, samp,fat cakes and mophane worms. Seswaa and heavily salted pounded meat are some of unique food in Botswana.

Ingredients
Different kinds of food are found in Botswana markets. Some of this food are ploughed in Botswana through irrigation system and some are imported from other countries. Botswana produces high grade and quality meat. Sheep meat and chicken are some of the meat which are plenty in Botswana. Beef is most common followed by goat meat. River fish is also part of Botswana cuisine.

Sorghum and maize are some of most grown crops in Botswana. Flour, rice and other grains are exported from other countries. Legumes and nuts such as cowpeas, Bambara groundnuts and Mung Beans are produced locally. Vegetables like spinach, carrots,cabbage, onions, potatoes,tomatoes, sweet potatoes and lettuce.

Some of the vegetables can grow in the forest in some seasons. Cow-pea leaves is one of the food which is ubiquitous.

There are a variety of fruits found in Botswana including morula. Botswana is believed to be the origin of watermelons and there become plenty during their season.Melon is another type of watermelons and it is also grown in Botswana. Another type of melons is the wild melon which is usually found in sandy and desert environments and it is food and water to the inhabitants of those areas. Most of the vegetables are seasonal and they are preserved through drying and they can be cooked in various ways.

Renowned foods
Seswaa or Chotlho is a Tswana meat which is usually cooked in special occasions. Normally it is cooked by men in a three legged pot by men using only salt and water in a low temperature fire till its well cooked. Tripe is also a well known dish and it consist of intestines of a goat,sheep or a cow till its tender. If it is Sheep or goat they can be cooked with their feet.

It is believed that the taste of setswana chicken is better than broilers. A chicken can be cooked to a visitor to show that there are welcome. Cooking Tswana chicken with a three legged pot is believed to give it a better taste.

Soft porridge or porridge is made with sorghum ,maize meal and millet, it is stirred until it is little bit hard. Sometimes sorghum or maize meal is fermented to make it sour and eat with milk and sugar. This is referred to as "ting". Apart from milk and sugar, it can be consumed as lunch or dinner with meat and vegetable dishes. It can also be cooked with sour milk and melon. the Kalanga tribe call this "tophi".

Flour is one of the food and it has been imported from other countries. Different ways of cooking bread has been adopted throughout the world. The most common are dumplings,fat cakes, flat cakes. Flour is mixed and cooked in different ways such as frying, boiling with meat and cooking with charcoal.

Some of the foods which are well known in different parts of Botswana includes morama, other fruits which are found underground and can cause some diseases. Mophane worms is similar to caterpillar and it is cooked and fried using charcoal.

Drinks
Some of drinks and alcoholic drinks are produced in industries in Botswana. Castle and Lion beers are some of the local brands. Milk is fermented to make sour milk and you can drink it or put into soft porridge. Ginger drink is people's favourite drink.

Khadi, chibuku setopoti, tipi ya mokwata is other favorite drink.

Food for Initiates
Boys at initiation schools were given pap from their homes. Boys from villages which were far were sent bags of sorghum to chiefs of initiation schools by their uncles or father and cooks were found for them. Those who were from that villages were cooked for by their mothers with special pots and spoons which were only reserved for initiation. Parents were not supposed to eat cooked food if the initiate was a first born as it is believed they would hypnotize the child.

After cooking food will be served on the plate that the child usually use when he is home and should be taken while still hot. Food was taken twice to the child; in the morning and in the evening.

Women from the same area would go together and wait in the designated area where they were told to wait at. The pap will then be taken by the instructors and then plaits will be returned and they will wash, put it aside when they get home. It was a taboo for children to touch it or use it.

Women would provide beer if it was available and it was for old men only not initiates or their care takers. if they was harvest it would be taken for men only.

The initiate's father or uncle could provide a cow to be slaughtered for initiates. After it has been properly reported to the School head it would then be given to the care takers to slaughter it and it would be eaten by the initiate and his neighbors. Sometimes the chief would also provide cattle to be slaughtered. The slaughtered cow was sometimes inscribed,touched by a traditional doctor and also bewitch the cow dung so that whoever tries to steal the meat will have a problem.

The initiates would eat together after washing their hands. Meat was given to them in a line and they would sometimes be beaten.

Bogobe Jwa Lerotse
Bogobe jwa lerotse is another type of setswana food. It can be cooked to be eaten by all people. It is mostly consumed in spring as it is grown during the rainy season. It is cooked by; chopping melon into the pot, put a little bit of water and wait 20 minutes for the melon to be well cooked. you then pour sorghum into the pot and stir with traditional whisk. Milk can be added to add more flavor. The food will then be ready to be served to your family so as to stop hunger.

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