South African Heritage Comes Alive On TikTok

From sourdough bread to feta pasta, entertainment platform TikTok has become the place for avid home cooks to share their tips and tricks in the kitchen and for novice foodies to learn a thing or two. While many of the food videos we enjoy today take us back to yesteryear, a time when banana bread and overnight oats recipes filled our feeds, TikTok has also provided locals with a place to share family recipes – those carried down through many generations and that connect families to their heritage. 

Now, as the country prepares to celebrate Heritage Day, TikTok has launched the #RepYourHeritage challenge which calls on all South Africans to represent their heritage through the diverse dishes found in Mzansi.

Currently sitting at just over 680,000 views, #RepYourHeritage pulls through local food recipes such as braai, bunny chow and itshisa nyama – which are just some of the dishes that have found a way of uniting the rainbow nation. Coming from all parts of the country, TikTok creators are embracing their diversity by showing who they are and where they come from through delicious and mouth-watering dishes. On TikTok, standard ingredients become delicious dishes in less than a minute, and users are entertained and inspired, as the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary and it’s always fun to watch.

If you want to try your hand at cooking some of these local dishes but don’t know where to start, there are plenty of creators on TikTok to learn from. Now it’s time to see what our talented, local TikTok foodies have whipped for Heritage Month:

1.     One-Pot Mince Pilau
Durban-based Rising Voices recipient, recipe developer and foodie, Solina Naidoo, shares her easy-to-make one-pot mince pilau recipe for Heritage Day. This mouth-watering dish is commonly enjoyed in the Indian community; however, this dish should most certainly be enjoyed by anyone who likes spicy food. Solina says: “If you haven’t tried the mince pilau, then you are missing out!”

2.     Communicating Combos
South Africans generally enjoy Heritage Day with a good braai which is why it comes as no surprise that pap and vleis, a South African household staple, has been featured as a local favourite. Professional chef and food blogger, Chef Lala Tee, shares her quick pap recipe which she enjoys with some juicy meat. 

3.     Our Beloved Bunny Chow
From Durban to Cape Town, bunny chow is considered a popular street food across many communities within South Africa. For Heritage Day, TikTok vlogger and foodie Just Jamie shows users how to make this dish from the comfort of their home. For a tip or two, check out what she manages to put together.

4.     Mzansi and Meat
Taking us on a trip down memory lane is foodie and small-business owner Tasneem Waggie. Her meal of choice takes her back to a time with her grandparents who used to prepare simple, yet tasty, lamb chops. The recipe is pretty straight forward but Tasneem suggests adding a side of veggies to round off the meal perfectly.

5.     Mogodu Monday Made Simple
Cooking_with_Aurora shared a very simple mogodu recipe – just add an onion, aromat seasoning and just keep cooking until it is ready to serve. That way, the original taste and smell of mogodu is still preserved.