๐ŸŒฟ Share this page

The African Gourmet

The African Gourmet: Explore African Culture & Recipes

One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.
Welcome to the real Africa—told through food, memory, and truth.

FOOD PROVERBS

Photo of Ivy, author of The African Gourmet

About the Author

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage.

Trusted by: WikipediaEmory University African StudiesUniversity of KansasUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalMDPI Scholarly Journals.
Explore our archived collections → DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

View citations →

Make South African Blatjang Fruit Sauce

South African fruit sauce has a strange name, blatjang but is an easy dried fruit recipe to make. Blatjang is a thick sauce fruit sauce that contains fruits, vinegar, sugar, and spices and is used as a condiment.


Simple breakfast of fresh bread and blatjang.

Apricot Raisin Blatjang is a traditional South African fruit sauce recipe made from apricots, onion, garlic, and raisins. Make and share this simple fruit sauce blatjang recipe with love from South Africa.

South African Blatjang Apricot Raisin Fruit Sauce

Ingredients
1/3 cup malt vinegar
1 cup dried chopped apricots
1 cup seedless golden raisins
¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons dried onions
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Soak apricots and raisins in 3 cups of water inside a large bowl for 2 hours. Add all ingredients including soaking water to a large pot and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly pour into jars. Allow cooling on the counter.


How to dry fruits to make Blatjang

Drying is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. It is still used widely to preserve foods for home consumption and for sale. Dried fruits are one of the most popular products made by small-scale processors.

Drying removes the water from foods so that the growth of microorganisms is inhibited. It also reduces the weight and bulk of foods which cuts down on transport and storage costs. Sun drying is the simplest and cheapest method of drying. To make higher quality products, processors use an artificial dryer.

There are several types of dryers available. Just follow the manufacturer's directions. To obtain maximum yields of top-quality dried products, all fruit should be ripe and free from bruising. Any rotten or bruised fruit should be thrown away.

Other dried fruits to use to make South African Blatjang

Fruits that are good to use for making savory blatjang fruit sauce include dried mangoes, papaya, tamarind, soursop, pineapples, and guava. Substitute equal amounts of dried apricots for the dried fruits.

Guava
Guava is an excellent source of vitamin C. There are innumerable recipes for utilizing guavas in pies, cakes, puddings, sauce, ice cream, jam, butter, marmalade, chutney, relish, nectars, blatjang, and other recipes. Fresh mature guavas can be utilized as a source of pectin, yielding somewhat more and higher quality pectin than ripe fruits.

Mango
Like many other tropical fruits, during thermal processing mangoes undergo chemical changes in terms of their nutritional and organoleptic properties, mainly flavor. It is therefore important to employ procedures that will not affect such thermolabile compounds to a significant degree, like freezing or carefully performed thermal techniques, even at a home-processing level. Mangoes may be processed into different products, such as puree, frozen pulp, nectar, concentrated and frozen pulp and in a high-sugar pulp preparation known as "ate". Mango pulp may also be dehydrated to produce bars. Mango slices in syrup or in the dehydrated form are also consumed. The mango fruit is also excellent when pickled and eaten fresh.

Papaya
In addition to being widely consumed as fresh fruit, papayas have many uses. Like other tropical fruits, papayas are prepared and preserved according to different methods. Nectars or juices may be produced by using papaya puree, which either alone or in combination with different-flavored fruits makes a very tasty product. Papaya pulp is also a very popular product. Try papaya seed tea for your next recipe adventure.

Tamarind
This species belongs to the leguminosae family, and every part of the tamarind tree, namely the wood, bark, leaves, and fruits, may be used in many different ways. Tamarind has been utilized as medicine since ancient times, for its pulp can combat scurvy and has laxative properties, while its leaves have diuretic properties. However, the tamarind is mostly used as food. The seeds, the soft leaves, and the flowers of fully grown trees are utilized in salads and to make soups. Unripe and tender husks are used as a seasoning in boiled rice, fish, and meats. The pulp obtained from ripe fruit is an agro-industrial product of considerable economic value in many parts of the world. The pulp of the fruit is slightly difficult to extract due to its low water content and because it is sticky. To remove it, the fruit is normally subjected to a steam bath for several hours.

Soursop
These fruits are rapidly perishable and must be hand-harvested when completely ripe, to prevent them from falling from the tree branches and bruising. The ripe fruit is washed with chlorinated water to remove the soil and minimize the presence of bacteria. Once it is washed, the fruit is peeled and the pits are removed by hand, for there is no current alternative to this procedure. Soursop is consumed as a dessert, although they are mostly used in the form of frozen pulp in foods like ice cream and syrups, and in drinks.

Pineapples
Pineapples are the second harvest of importance after bananas, contributing to over 20 % of the world's production of tropical fruits. Pineapple is a member of the Bromiliaceae family, Anana genus, and Sativa species. The flesh of larger fruits is cut up in various ways and eaten fresh, as dessert, in salads, compotes, and otherwise, or cooked in pies, cakes, puddings, or as a garnish on ham, or made into sauces or preserves.


Blatjang or chutney is a versatile staple to any kitchen and is a thick sauce that contains fruits, vinegar, sugar, and spices and is used as a condiment.
Apricot Raisin Blatjang Recipe

More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare a boring meal again.

  1. Curried Tanzanian Coconut Okra Recipe
  2. Yedoro Stir Fried Ethiopian Chicken Dinner
  3. Senegalese Chicken Vermicelli
  4. Caldo Verde Portuguese Kale Soup
  5. Air Fryer Black Eyed Pea Dumpling Stew

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet=

African Recipes Organized by Meal Time

African Drinks & Beverages

Snacks & Appetizers

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Desserts

Recipes as Revolution

Recipes as Revolution

When food becomes protest and meals carry political meaning

Loading revolutionary recipes...
African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

More African Reads

African Ancestors and Atlantic Hurricanes: Myth Meets Meteorology

Survival of the Fattest, obese Europeans starving Africa

Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa by Land Area (2025 Update)

African Proverbs for Men About the Wrong Woman in Their Life

Ugali vs Fufu — What’s the Difference Between Africa’s Beloved Staples?

Charging Cell Phones in Rural Africa

Beware of the naked man who offers you clothes African Proverb

African Olympic Power: Top 10 Countries with the Most Gold Medals | The African Gourmet

Perfect South African Apricot Beef Curry Recipe

Usage of Amen and Ashe or Ase and Meaning

Week’s Best African Culture Posts

Before You Buy Land in Africa: 8 Critical Pitfalls Every Diaspora Member Must Avoid

Kei Apple Recipes: Traditional African Fruit Cooking & Folk Science

Korean vs African Cuisine: Fermentation, Fire & Flavor Bridges - The African Gourmet

African Wrestling Traditions: Dambe, Evala & Senegalese Laamb Explained

Kei Apple (Dovyalis caffra): Origins, Uses, Nutrition & Recipes

Aloe Vera: Nature's Pharmacy | African Science & Folklore

African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.