This Easy Relish Is the Best Way to Use Up Any Produce

New York Times

a day ago

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.
Recipe: Bratwurst With Caramelized Onions and Chakalaka
The best chakalaka, according to Khanya Mzongwana, a contributing food editor at the South African magazine Woolworths Taste, embodies a perfect balance of flavors. '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,' ' Ms. Mzongwana said.
Recipe: Chakalaka (South African Vegetable Relish)
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. Laborers from neighboring 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. Ms. 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,' Ms. Mzongwana said.
Like Ms. 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,' Ms. 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.
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