Mosotho Cuisine

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Lesotho- Cooking and Food

Overview of Lesothoan Cuisine History
Lesotho is located in South Africa and it is entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Former British colony, Lesotho gained its independency in 1966. Lesotho cuisine resulted from a blend of many cultures such as European, Asian and African with Indian and Malay influences. The Malay influences are obvious through the spicy curries, chutneys, pickled fish and curry-marinated pork or lamb kebabs, and the variety of fish stews, while the European influences are represented by the variety of sweets and potato-based dishes. The basic ingredients of Lesotho cuisine include seafood, meat products and wild game, and also fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits include grapes, mangoes, bananas and papayas, avocado. Meat products include lamb, and game like venison, ostrich, and impala. The seafood includes a wide variety such as crayfish, prawns, tuna, mussels, oysters, mackerel, and lobster. Local dishes are as well heavy on pasta and vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, celery and rice.

Cuisines of Lesotho


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createpageform-lesothoan Lesotho cuisine is one of the most varied in the Southern Africa. Lesotho cuisine combines African cuisine with its typical dishes consisting of a variety of fruits, grains, vegetables, milk and meat. Lesotho cuisine is heavy on spicy dishes; the large quantity of spices is used either for spicing up the taste or for coloring the dish. Meat represents the base of numerous Lesotho dishes, while cured and smoked hams are often parts of delicious dishes. Staple foods in Lesotho include maize, cassava, rice, plantains and millet. Corn is one of the most frequent ingredients in Lesotho cuisine and it is used in preparing the local bread which is normally served with of meat-based stews or with shellfishes. Generally Lesotho cuisine is heavy on sauces which can be prepared with meat commonly with smoked fish or with vegetables such as peanut sauce, eggplant sauce, tomato sauce or spinach sauce.

Lesothoan Food Glossary
Finding the ingredients for an Lesothoan Recipe is not so easy when you do not know the names of the ingredients. Take time to make a list of ingredients and the name they may be found under at the Local Markets.


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Preparation Methods for Lesothoan Cooking
While there are no specific or unique preparation methods for Lesotho cooking, we should point out that attention to detail is important in the Lesotho cuisine. Lesotho cuisine uses elements from various cooking traditions borrowed from their neighbors and developed from their own traditional dishes. Using the right amount of spices for example is essential – either for spicing up the taste or for coloring the dish. The diversity of vegetables and cereals found in Lesotho is also noticed in the delicious dishes belonging to their cuisine. Each traditional dish has a special cooking method, which is more or less general in all of Lesotho regions. Meat is one of the main elements of most Lesotho dishes and cured and smoked hams are often parts of delicious dishes. The visual attractiveness of the dish is also important, and a balance between colors and proportion differentiates from a region to another.

Special Equipment for Lesothoan Cooking
In Lesotho cuisine are a large variety cooking equipments from cake pans, can openers, colanders, egg rings, poachers and holders, food dishers and portioners, food pans and food containers to other kitchen utensils, such as food scales, food scoops and fryer baskets and accessories. The Lesotho cuisine requests various food preparation equipment set in order to produce the most refined Lesotho dishes. You should consider insulated food carriers if you are transporting the food and a full set of kitchen linens and uniforms if you wish to look like a pro. Here are a few other items that will come handy while cooking Lesotho food: juicers, kitchen knives, kitchen slickers, and kitchen thermometers, measuring cups and measuring spoons, miscellaneous utensils, mixing bowls and skimmers and strainers. Necessary utensils like serving spoons, spatulas, forks, turners, scrapers and tongs should as well be part of your cooking "munitions store".

Lesothoan Food Traditions and Festivals
People from Lesotho have a large number of festivals, national holidays which engage culinary traditions. The most important national holidays include Independence Day (October 4th), Family Day, Moshoeshoe’s Day (March 12th) celebrated in the honor of tribal leader who consolidated the nation, National Holiday (January 28th), Natural Tree Planting Day (March 21st), New Year’s Day, Easter, King’s Birthday (May 2nd), Christmas and Boxing Day. As the tradition requires on national holidays it is eaten national food such as: braai, landjager, kitoza and Akodo sy Voanio

People in Lesothoan Food
There are many chefs who creatively use the basic ingredients and cooking method for traditional Lesotho dishes and create original and delicious food variations. Lesotho chefs are passionate about their traditional dishes and they enjoy presenting them to foreigners who have never tasted them before. Whether they are cooking dishes that go back in time for centuries or brand new, modern dishes, Lesotho chefs take pride in what they do, and this is readily noticeable in the unforgettable taste of their cooking.
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