Lesotho food is deceptively simple. In reality, each traditional recipe reflects a blend of African tribes and traditions passed down through the centuries.
-By John Jacobs

There is a travel website that says the food in Lesotho has no distinct influences, but that is not true. Probably the confusion lies in the simplicity of the recipes.

Simple does not mean lacking history. The Basotho, Lesotho’s people, developed delicious but simple recipes that reflect a largely agricultural lifestyle and a need for body-warming foods for cold winters and ingredients that can be grown or obtained in a mountainous terrain. Vegetables, ting (porridge), meats, and seafood are enhanced with fermented flavoring and spices, and downed with locally made beers.

A variety of African tribes and ethnicities make up the history of the traditional foods, but many popular recipes today are also imported from South Africa.

Adapting to the Terrain
The population today is ethnically homogenous with almost everyone claiming Sotho, European or Asian. Lesotho’s history is one of hunter-gatherers, a war with the Boer settlers from the Netherlands, becoming a UK crown protectorate, independence as a kingdom in 1966, a coup, and finally, by 2005, a modified constitutional monarchy.

Through it all, the country remained agricultural with most of the resident population engaging in subsistence farming. While this keeps wages low, it also has led to the preservation of largely unchanged cultural food practices with the main outside influence being British.

The land is harsh in Lesotho because of its mountainous terrain, but fertile lowlands produce flavorful items used in traditional recipes. Farmers grow sweet corn, wheat, melons, sorghum, beans and variety of vegetables. They also raise sheep, cattle, hogs, chickens and goats for meats, though many dishes are meat-free. Some popular foods are imported, like rice and some cereal grains.

The traditional foods are heavily influenced by the fact Lesotho is a mountainous, landlocked country. It is also completely surrounded by South Africa, in an unusual geographical arrangement. Most of the country consists of the Maloti Mountains, and a trip to one of the villages is where visitors can get a true taste of the foods that seem to be made with a blend of agricultural ingredients with a heavy dash of history.

GOVE ME More Porridge, Please
Topping the list of the most common staple food is papa or pap-pap. It is a stiff porridge (ting) made from maize. Though it can be eaten alone, the porridge makes a perfect foundation for a thick vegetable sauce or protein pulse that can be made from any cooked-down vegetables or legumes. The nutritious meal in a bowl is perfect for an agricultural society.

Motoho is for those who enjoy a stronger flavor. It is made of freshly ground sorghum that is mixed with warm water and allowed to ferment for a couple of days until sour. Once sour, boiling water is added and the mixture is stirred until thickened. If it is too sour, sugar is added.

Yet another type of porridge made from maize is samp. Unlike pap-pap, samp is creamy and buttery.

Grains like wheat are used to make homemade bread or makoenya, a home-made fried cake that is much like a doughnut. If you decide to visit street vendors in one of Lesotho’s cities, like the capital Maseru, try a few freshly made deep-fried makoenya as a treat. Bohobe is the name of freshly baked bread cooked on a stove, while maqebekoane is steamed or oven baked.

If you take a trek to a mountain village, stone huts will have flags flying to let visitors know if there is food available and the type of food. A white flag indicates the owner is selling beer and bread. A red flag indicates meat is available, while a green flag indicates vegetables. Despite what most Westerners would consider an extremely primitive kitchen, the bread, made in a Dutch oven over coals, is moist, soft and perfectly baked. It is an ancient art form that has been perfected over centuries through experience.

After the staple pap-pap, the most popular food is moroho which are finely chopped fresh greens cooked in oil with salt. It can be any kind of green – cabbage, spinach, Swiss chard, etc. There are variations of this Southern African side dish. Grated carrots, onions and red chilies are just some of the additions that turn ordinary greens into a savory dish.

Other than porridge, vegetables and fruit play a big role in the daily diet. Beetroot salad, carrot salad, pea salad and boiled pumpkin are popular. Seasonal fruits include peaches, apples, quinces, pears and apricots.

Cultural Bond
Meat is called nama in general and includes fereki (pig), likhomo (cow), lihoho (chicken), linku (sheep), and lipoli (goat). Meat is eaten sporadically, since it is a luxury, and mostly on holidays or during festivals.

Braised oxtail soup served with dumplings is a common dish, as is sechu sa khoho (chicken stew). A whole chicken is cut up into portions; browned; and mixed with onions, garlic, chilies and chopped tomatoes. It can be served over pap-pap, spinach or moroho.

Braai is the word for barbeque. You can try the Southern African barbecue dish in a U.S. South African restaurant, if unable to pack your bags for Lesotho. It is a food usually found at social gatherings and festivals, but it is also made any time a family feels like sharing a meal with friends.

One of the important features of food in Lesotho is the fact that people across the country are cooking the same foods, creating a cultural bond. Chicken or meat kebobs could honestly be called a staple food in the opinion of some people.

There is no way to end a discussion on Lesotho food without mentioning locally brewed beer. Ginger beer and sorghum beer are made at home with women grinding the root or grain, adding water, cooking it over an open fireplace, and then allowing it to ferment.

If you get a chance to visit Lesotho, a good way to start a culinary expedition is to look for the white flag. It means you will get authentic Lesotho food and beer, and you will be able to tell your friends about an experience unlike any other.

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