'Please Sir, I want some more.'

This famous line from Dickens' Oliver Twist never fails to move me. And if you love food as much as I do, you'd understand why. Today I was craving a shwarma (that's right - not shawarrmaa as most people call it in India) from Anat - a South African franchise that serves Middle Eastern food. We never had one in our small town so whenever Dad made a trip to Johannesburg, he made sure to stop by an Anat and pick one up for us. How I love this divine food. And then, when I came to India and told people about it, they said "Hey we have shawarrmaa here too!" and presented me with this monstrosity - chicken, mixed with a load of cabbage and mayo all wrapped up into a roll. It was sickeningly sweet - and there's not much difference in most places in South India that claim to serve shwarma "as it is". Now I'm wondering did I grow up eating the wrong stuff? The shwarma I know is yummy grilled meat of your choice (lamb, beef, chicken) with veggies, served in pita bread. Words fail me at this point as I can almost taste it after years of being deprived of it.
This wonderful memory then prompted me to make a list of food that I crave from back home, got some help from other ex-South Africans too:

1. Biltong - dried, salted meat. Chilli Bites are my absolute favourite!













2. Nando's Peri Peri Grilled Chicken - Oh South Africa, how I miss thee!
And Chicken Licken's Hot Wings!










3. Clover's UltraMel Vanilla Custard












4. Nestle's Peppermint Crisp - chocolate coated mint crystals.
(Always felt as though I was holding Kryptonite in my hands...)













5. Potjiekos - meat stew slow-cooked in an iron cauldron.
You can throw in anything into the pot - absolutely delicious!





















6. Yogi Sip - especially Granadilla - flavoured yoghurt.












7. Schweppes Sparkling Granadilla
(okay it has now been established that I like granadilla),
Creme Soda, Grape Fanta, Grapetiser and Appletiser!












8. Ricoffy - it's just the instant coffee we grew up on.
Nothing special unless you're South African.

















9. Eet-Sum-Mor - Shortbread Biscuits
(absolutely divine with coffee)











and also, Romany Creams.













10. The Braai - or barbecue, which was a regular feature in every home!
I miss boerewors the most!
















11. Melrose Cheese Triangles - "Oh boy! Mum remembered Melrose!"
(Okay so these are squares - I can't find one of the triangles!)











12. Pap & Vleis - a maize/corn meal porridge with meat and gravy, traditional South African meal - our helper used to make it for us when we came home from school sometimes.
Couldn't find a good picture though...


13. Melk Tert - or Milk Tart - sigh...
















14. Koeksusters - deep fried twists of dough soaked in syrup.


















15. Munchies - Willards Cheese Curls and Flings,
Niknaks, Simba's Mexican Chilli and
Flanagan's Kettle Fried Chips (Green Onion Flavour)

























16. Soft bread rolls with Rama margarine!










17. Magnum Ice Cream - aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh...





















Gosh I can't think any more...my head is spinning and m hungry!
If any anyone remembers any more please do it share with me...

Comments

  1. sansmerciFebruary 8, 2009 at 1:36:00 PM GMT+5:30

    wow makin my mouth water.. can u get me any of this wen ur there next time plzzzzzzzzz :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. KelvyFebruary 8, 2009 at 4:04:00 PM GMT+5:30

    heheh..ok its very very clear that u r extremly hungry.... :)
    craving all those things huh :P
    ya well some of the things we grew up on always remains in our minds right...i have been goin around shopping try to find some sweets i used to eat as a kid...lol ya i know i am crazy :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. JaneFebruary 8, 2009 at 8:25:00 PM GMT+5:30

    Fer sure Sansmerci! In fact, I gotta tell mum Tobler and Galaxy chocs are now available in our local super and tell her to bring down this stuff. I have some Ricoffy left (she got me a huge tin last month) so if you plan to Honeymoon in Hyd I can give ya some ;O)

    ReplyDelete
  4. ReflectionsFebruary 11, 2009 at 5:00:00 PM GMT+5:30

    My BIL used to be cabin crew for sometime & he brot us a huge packet of boerewors from SA.
    I didnt quite take to it in the beginning....but as I was getting used to it, it got over;-P
    Acquired taste, it is.

    I didnt knw shawarma was popular in SA....I thot it originated from Middle East. Havent tasted Indian Shawarma's[but I've hrd its lousy] but I like it here...tastes just like how u've descibed it:-)).

    ReplyDelete
  5. BlindwreckFebruary 11, 2009 at 5:17:00 PM GMT+5:30

    Ok most of this make no sense to me except for the fact that they all pertain to food :D but hey you sure missed something very important... the sour worms!! :D :D they are jus so yummilicious! i wish i could get it from somewhere from someone you know... sigh! i can remember all of us fighting for it in class.. damn i miss those days mann! nice post btw :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. JaneFebruary 11, 2009 at 5:52:00 PM GMT+5:30

    @ Reflections
    Yeah boerewors is an acquired taste and you have to braai (barbecue) it. I think it tastes weird for people because of how it looks. When we first moved to SA our folks had to force feed me n bro sausages. It just looked weird. A few years later mum had to keep the freezer locked cos we couldn't get enough of them :O)

    Also, SA has a pretty huge Jewish and other Middle Eastern population. Anat is Kosher! :O)Can't call it national food but if you've been introduced to it you will go back!

    @ Blindwreck
    Yeah hon I thought about the Sour Worms, but now you get something very similar in those expensive Candy World stores at the mall. Dunno if you've seen those shops - it's like a kiddy wonderland. Was also gonna put in Cadburys Flake (it melts in your mouth) but it made its appearance in India last year - you'll find em in Landmark now.

    ReplyDelete

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