eKasi eats: Fan-favourite foods from every South African township

eKasi eats are a unique experience that you won’t find in New York or Berlin.

There are four great foods available in almost every township in South Africa, including amagwinya and chicken feet.

What’s the first thing you want to eat when you get out of a taxi?

Food doesn’t have to be a complicated experience. Sometimes, it’s simple and inexpensive.

Here’s how to navigate eKasi’s greatest eats.

THE FIVE GREAT FOODS IN ALMOST EVERY TOWNSHIP

eKasi is a term for South Africa’s townships, according to definitions.net.

Townships are vibrant, exciting, thriving, and on the taxi route. It’s where good food lives, a little further away from the usual franchise eats.

Roadside stalls and home cooks delight.

You’re missing out if you’ve never tried these eKasi eats!

1. EKASI EATS: AMAGWINYA

Amagwinya is the isiXhosa and isiZulu word for “vetkoek”, made with love, yeast, and fried dough. A simple, unsliced amagwinya costs between R5 and R15 – although prices are different everywhere.

Traditionally, they are eaten with toppings, like polony or cheese slices, though they can also be eaten just like that.

2. : CHICKEN FEET

You haven’t lived if you haven’t tried chicken feet.

They’re available in canned form or stews, too, but the traditional eKasi method slaps them on a fire. Chicken feet provide a useful energy spike, getting thousands of people through their day.

3. EKASI EATS: FRIED CHIPS

Fried chips come up next.
Almost every eKasi location has fried chips somewhere, usually close to the taxi route. Fried chips are traditionally eaten with sauces, like tomato sauce or mayonnaise – but if you don’t want the burn of per-peri, ask!

Wanna feel fancy?

Add some cheese to it.

4: HOT DOGS

Hot dogs are a South African staple, whether they were invented here or not. Where you can find fried chips, you might find hot dogs close to it.

It’s simple food, with cooked meat inside a bun – and toppings if you want them.