I have had the pleasure of being served several versions of chakalaka in my life. In each of those moments, before I’d even brought a spoonful to my lips, I was told that the version in front of me was “the best.” That’s how I know I’ve found a special dish: It brings out the pride of everyone who puts love and care into making it.
The best chakalaka, according to Khanya Mzongwana, a contributing food editor at the South African magazine Woolworths Taste, embodies a perfect balance of flavours.
“When it is good,” she said, “it’s equal parts salt, fat, acid, heat.” But that balance is never about imposing constraints. As she put it, “every family has their take and adds their flair to it.”
For those of us who love to cook, chakalaka, a South African staple, is a versatile dish, forgiving in all the right ways. It comes together quickly, is hearty on its own, yet it can accompany almost anything. And it can be made just as well with fresh seasonal vegetables or canned produce.
In its simplest form, chakalaka is a condiment or relish. Spoonfuls are often placed alongside grilled meat or fish, but more elaborate versions can serve as a full meal.
It can even be topped with boiled eggs or steamed fish, accented with garden herbs, or served alongside a starch like pap or rice. “I put it on toast before heading to work and go, ‘Wow, I just had my five-a-day,’” Mzongwana said.
The chakalaka popular in South Africa today is a byproduct of migration and adaptation, with versions incorporating chiles from other parts of the continent, masala spices from Southeast Asia and baked beans from Europe.
Labourers from neighbouring countries, like Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini, who worked in South Africa’s mines during the apartheid era and needed hearty dishes that kept well over long periods and distances, were most likely responsible for its introduction.
These days, chakalaka’s cultural influences are still wide-ranging, but as with much of South African cuisine, its evolution continues. The “best” chakalaka need never be daunting. Mzongwana uses whatever she has in her pantry, which can often mean a lot of different bits. “I enjoy a dish where every mouthful can have about seven different vegetables,” Mzongwana said.
Like Mzongwana, I find myself trying to give the vegetables I have on hand some kind of destiny. Every August, my backyard produces bell and chile peppers to use now or freeze. But chakalaka doesn’t have to be made entirely from fresh ingredients. For this recipe, I decided to try incorporating canned pinto beans. Kidney beans, chickpeas or black-eyed peas could also work here.
The ratios are important, and, once you understand that, you have license to be creative. Tender tomatoes can be replaced with other similarly soft vegetables, such as summer squash or eggplant. Starchier vegetables like carrots can be substituted with cabbage or winter squash. Experiment with what you have on hand. A spoonful of tomato paste will keep the acidity regardless of what vegetables you go with.
“It gives me the opportunity to eat vegetables with ease,” Mzongwana said.
With experimentation, and a blend of ingredients you have on hand, chakalaka becomes more than a fun word to announce to a room of hungry guests. It’s a dish that brings a sense of satisfaction to any meal. – ©2025 The New York Times Company
Chakalaka is an easy way to make the best of seasonal ingredients. A versatile dish, forgiving in all the right ways, this quick South African staple is hearty on its own, yet it can accompany almost anything, and can last for 10 days in the fridge. But all that generosity comes with some constraint: Balancing flavours here is a discovery, as you figure out how to adjust ingredients to your preference. Typically served with grilled meats or fish, it can be an easy way to have vegetables with every meal. Serve on toast, alongside a jammy egg, over pita with hummus or enjoy spoonfuls in a bowl by itself.
Yield: 7 cups
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large red onion, peeled and chopped small
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
- 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, grated
- 2 to 3 green bird’s-eye chiles, stemmed and halved
- 1 teaspoon garam masala, homemade or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 3 large beefsteak tomatoes, chopped (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 2 large bell peppers, any color, stem and core removed, chopped (2 1/2 cups)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 large carrots, trimmed and grated on a box grater, about 3 cups
- 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or heavy pot set over medium. Cook the onion until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chiles, garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant, one to two minutes.
2. Turn heat up to high. Add the tomatoes, bell peppers and lime juice. Stir and allow to come to a simmer. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
3. Add carrots and cook, stirring constantly, until any liquid thickens, 12 to 15 minutes. Carrots should be cooked through, and the bell peppers and tomatoes softened. Add the beans, if using, and stir and cook until warmed through, about twp minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, transfer to a storage container and refrigerate. (Chakalaka can be refrigerated for up to 10 days or frozen for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator once frozen.)
In this recipe for pan-seared bratwurst with spiced caramelised onions, the real star of the show is the topping of chakalaka. A popular South African condiment often served with grilled meats or fish, chakalaka can be an easy way to have vegetables with every meal. Start with a hot skillet large enough to get a nice sear on the sausages and the onions, and with a quick assembly and ease, a clever meal awaits.
Yield: Makes 4 hot dogs
Ingredients:
- 4 hot dog buns
- 5 tablespoons softened unsalted or salted butter, divided
- 4 bratwurst or lamb sausage links
- 1 medium red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
Salt
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 3/4 cup chakalaka
Preparation:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium until hot. Open the hot dog buns and brush the insides of each with 1 tablespoon butter. Place the buns in the skillet with the butter side down. Gently warm the buns and toast until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Work in batches if you have a small skillet. Move the toasted buns to 4 plates.
2. Turn heat up to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, swirl around and add the sausages in a single layer. Cook until seared and golden brown, four to five minutes. Turn the sausages and move to one side of the pan. Turn heat down to medium.
3. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently until they’re softened and lightly caramelised at the edges, 5 to 8 minutes. Taste and season with salt as needed.
4. Stir in the garlic and spices, and cook until fragrant, two minutes. Add the parsley. Remove from heat and move each sausage to the buns. Top with onions and chakalaka. Serve.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
