6 South African cookbooks to add to your kitchen

South Africa is a country with many diverse cuisines. There is something to satisfy all cravings from sweet to savoury to fusion and much more. In the past couple of years, there has been an explosion of cookbooks on the literary market written by talented chefs and cooks. Here are just six of the many to add to your bookshelf and kitchen. 

All of these cookbooks are featured as part of the Exclusive Books Tasty Reads August promotion. 

The Lazy Makoti’s Guide to the Kitchen

The Lazy Makoti’s Guide To The Kitchen is a book by Mogau Seshone. It is an easy to use cookbook of simple recipes for everyday favourites. Seshone has included breakfast basics, show-stopper seven-colour Sunday lunches, and traditional African favourites – “just like gogo used to make them.” 

“This book was written and compiled with YOU in mind, and takes into consideration all the different occasions a South African kitchen might have to cater for,” said Seshone. 

Kaap, Kerrie and Koeksisters

The Sydow sisters, Fatima and Gadija who are well-known for their recipes on the internet and television have come together for this book. The book takes readers on a Cape Malay food trip, which is their journey of life. All the recipes are quick, easy and affordable and filled with the memories of the Cape Flats. You can make a quick and easy curry with sambals on the side and dhaltjies for a bit of bite.

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Dinner at Matloha’s 

Dinner at Matloha’s is a book from Liziwe Matloha. The book is about hosting friends and family for good food. The recipes are unpretentious and flavourful. Matloha shares her passion for food that is easy to prepare and appeals to the whole family. There’s recipes for some amagwinya with morning coffee, snacks of hot-and-crispy chicken wings and savour an oxtail stew on a winter’s night. There is also something for those with a sweet tooth. 

40 Years of Iconic Food

South African chef cookbook author and editor Dorah Sitole passed on earlier this year. But her legacy lives on through the great food she cooked and wrote about. In her book, 40 Years of Iconic Food, Sitole’s takes you along on her culinary journey. It started with her childhood in the townships and led to her becoming an exceptional food icon. The book has the various stages of her life with recipes to match. 

Shisanyama: Braai Recipes from South Africa 

Jan Braai made a name for himself in South Africa as a braai master. But generally South Africans love braai even if the methods of the braaing might differ. In his book, Braai has put together a collection of braai recipes from across the country. He asked South Africans to send him their favourite recipes. Braai then combined it with some of his favourite recipes and put it in the book. So whether you are a meat-only person or love all the sides with a braai, this book has the recipe for you. 

Curry: Stories and Recipes across South Africa

This book is for people who enjoy a food story with their recipe. Ishay Govender-Ypma looks at the fascinating story of South African curry. Her book has more than 90 recipes and contains conversations with more than 60 cooks and food experts. This book shows how there is so much more to curry than any stereotypical ideas. There’s recipes for KwaZulu-Natal crab and dried-fish curries to Cape Malay chicken and crayfish curries, from Calvinia offal to kasi beef from Orlando West and Qunu. There is something for everyone. 

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All the cookbooks on this list are part of Tasty Reads – Mzansi Made in Exclusive Books for August.  Exclusive Books are also running a competition in August. Fanatics

Members who buy any books from the Tasty Reads collection automatically stand a chance to win book hampers, vouchers and a Le Creuset casserole dish. More information can be found here.