ONE of the most exciting things about travelling anywhere must be the food you get to eat. It is very seldom one talks about their travelling and does not make mention of the food they had. Namibia is no exception to this rule as we too have proudly Namibian cuisine that makes people literally write home – social media posts are evidence.
The French Riviera has its cheese and olive oil, the Italians have their pasta and the Chinese their rice. The middle east has its naan, while back on the African continent the Nigerians and Ghanaians share royalties over Jollof rice. And the Indians, with their curry and rich spices, have also made their mark on the food world.
So what does the Namibian kitchen have to offer?
Kapana
Derived from the oshiwambo word okapana which loosely means any fried or cooked meat, kapana is meat cut into cubes. While you can have kapana as take away, it has become much more than just something to eat. The most popular spot in Windhoek to have kapana is at the informal market at Single Quarters in Katutura. The meat is prepared right in front of you and you get to eat it straight from the fire. If you are lucky (or unlucky) enough, you get to see the head of the cow you are enjoying.
Kapana is normally served with a salsa made of tomatoes, onions, a dash of spice, a splash of vinegar and cooking oil. To complement the meal, a vetkoek or owambo bread is always ideal. The entire meal will cost you about N$40 with a reasonable and filling portion of meat.
Some say the kapana concept was adopted from the South African’s shisa nyama which is also a popular food in our neighbouring country.
Smiley
A smiley refers to the goat head of a goat or a sheep, is also another popular meal in Namibia. The name smiley comes from the fact that the head looks like it wears a smile when cooked – strange but true. This is enjoyed by all cultures in the country and just like kapana, going out to share a goat or sheep head with friends has also become a sort of social outing.
Among other spots, the smiley is served at Xwama traditional restaurant at N$60. If exploring is your thing, a trip to Katutura may reveal a few interesting corners that serve the best smiley you will ever have. Oshikaendu is one of these spots where you can have a delicious smiley for N$70 served with either mahangu or Top Score porridge or the traditional Otjiherero sweet bread.
Marathon Chicken
Also called wambo chicken because it is predominantly part of the Ovawambo cuisine, it is called the marathon chicken because of the running a person has to do before catching the chicken. Because it is prepared immediately after it has been caught, it has a toughness to it, but when properly prepared, the chicken is a delicious meal enjoyed with porridge. Marathon chicken is served at a number of spots in Windhoek including Xwama traditional restaurant in Katutura and Bolster Restaurant in Town Square. The price ranges between N$70 to N$90 for a full chicken.
Potato Salad
Some call it Baster pap or Baster poeding which translates to Baster porridge/pudding because of its popularity among the Baster and Coloured people. Although it may have been adopted from the western world, the salad has become so much part of Namibian cuisine that people even say a party or wedding reception does not qualify as a party if there was no potato salad. Rumour also has it that you have not had a mouth-watering potato salad unless you had it on a Sunday afternoon in Rehoboth.
Porsie Chips
Afrikaans for a portion of chips, porsie chips is just that – a portion of chips. Enjoyed at any time of the day for any meal, the deep fried potato chips has become trully Namibian. It is normally named after the shop where you buy it like Louis Botha chips or Engen chips. Sometimes served with hake or a russian, all you really need for a good porsie to go down is salt, spice and vinegar. Prices start at around N$15, depending on how big you want your portion to be.
Mopane Worms
Some people may pull their face at the thought of eating worms, but for others, mopane worms are a delicacy. Traditionally part of the Oshiwambo cuisine, mopane worms have become one of those meals one must have when you visit Namibia.
Braai Meat
Namibians love meat and that is an undeniable fact. Apart from kapana made from beef, mutton and lamb are very popular and braais in Namibia are as common as are beach parties in Brazil. We do not really need reason for a braai as long as one is guaranteed two well spiced chops. You can get braai’ed meat anywhere in Windhoek as braai stands and spots can be found all over the city. A nice chop can be enjoyed with either potato salad or a rooster brood and boerewors (sausage). Namibia is also known for having some of the best meat in Africa and South Africans are known to salivate over our boerewors.
