7 Things to Eat In Botswana – The Luscious Food Scene that Makes a Good Vacation Beyond Exceptional!

If you happen to be in Botswana and possibly thinking about all the things to do in Gaborone, have faith when we tell you that traditional Botswanan dishes have got you covered! Food doesn’t get any more traditional than seswaa; an age-long traditional meat dish made of beef, goat, chicken or lamb meat boiled with onions and pepper until tender. Often served with polenta, this dish is a rather bland one with only ‘just enough salt’ and might not be the best of choice for an adventurous eater, but so long as we are travelling, what matters is the experience, right?

This porridge calibre of a dish puts the pap in smoked ‘paprika’ barbecues in South Africa and makes for an ideal accompaniment considering its vivacious selection of possible textures ranging from soft and smooth to dry and crumbly to thick and custardy. This versatile ingredient is a staple among the inhabitants and is made of maize meal and sells at shockingly low prices which is probably it makes for a very common ingredient in most meals of the day!

Just like pap, morogo too is a side dish that is served in combination with at least three different dark green leafy vegetables, including pumpkin leaves. It is also widely known as wild or African spinach and is often referred to as an acquired taste among many given its bitter aftertaste. It is of such high nutritional value that it is often used as a substitute for meat as well. For you brave foodies, you could take on a dish of plain Morogo, or even with a combination of ample onions, tomatoes and masses of butter!

If you have ever tried lamb, well, goat tastes much like it and makes for a dazzling dish combined with the vibrant and comforting flavours of carrots, potatoes, peas and tomatoes. Goat meat is possibly one of the most popular meats in Southern Africa considering its lean cuts, low saturated fat, calorie and cholesterol content than beef. Although there is a bazillion different ways that goat is served up in Botswana, the perfectly tenderized, flavour-packed slow-cooked goat meat stew is bound to steal your heart in a heart-‘baaht’.

Much to the delight of inquisitive travellers exploring the food cultures of their travel destinations, hotels like Avani Gaborone Resort & Casino has dedicated restaurants which serve up a luscious station of braai meats (barbecued meats) and carveries. Braai meat is cooked outside over hot coals most likely at a fire pit. It is a feast of celebration and honours food groups of all kinds such as meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables and even fruit. However, the go-to components are the boerewors (farmer’s sausages), steak and the lambchops. The meats are often served with a delectable concoction of a relish made of onions, tomato and garlic.

This traditional dish is one that is little ‘out-there’ and is made of deep-fried dough bread. It is a delicious stand-alone dish with simply some syrup or honey drizzled over it with jam, or for a heartier meal, maybe some curried minced beef stuff in the middle. As implied by the name (Vetkoek meaning ‘fat cake’) it is similar in shape to a doughnut.

This is one African legume that has a bunch of different names such as nyimo beans, jubo beans, Bambara ground nuts or even tindluwa. Truth be told, the beans are as delicious as their names make them out to be and are a great source of nutrition in African households for generations both as a snack and as a main meal sometimes. They are so versatile in that they could either be soaked overnight and cooked for its plentiful flavour or dried, powdered and added to porridge to give it body!