Chakalaka is a simple South African dish consisting of beans and vegetables in a chilli sauce. It can be eaten hot or cold and is delicious served with rice or bread.
The ingredients
Chakalaka is incredibly adaptable and can be easily altered to suit your taste buds. I’ve used a generous helping of curry powder along with grated carrots for sweet and tangy affair. The recipe uses plenty of garlic and seasoning to add a rich complexity to the sauce. Chakalaka is a great comfort food dish, us Brits know how satisfying baked beans can be, and it seems South Africans are also of the same mind. Use regular tinned baked bins to add extra flavour and sweetness to the sauce.
The spice
Now, this dish is a type of chili but don’t be worried if you aren’t a fan of spice as the sauce is only mildly spiced. The recipe only uses one red chilli to add a bit of heat; use the generic chilli’s found in most UK supermarket as these are perfectly mild. Heat in the form of chilli is a pre requisite for an authentic chakalaka, this is a South African dish after all!
Leave a comment and let me know how you get on making chakalaka. I would love to see your creations over on instagram!
More South African inspired recipes
Aubergine with harissa, roasted chickpeas and saffron rice
Chakalaka, bean and tomato relish
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red fresh chilli finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 carrot grated
- 1.5 tbsp medium curry powder
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 415g tin baked beans
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes. The onions should be starting to caramelise.
- Add the garlic, chilli (including the seeds), green pepper and carrot and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook for roughly a minute, until fragrant
- Next, pour in the tomatoes, baked beans, thyme and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve alongside rice or bread and your preferred protein.