Sometimes the most delicious, fresh and unique ingredients to cook with can be found in our own soil. For the upcoming festive season, these are the best ingredients to add that extra pop to your dishes:

1 BAOBAB

We all know and recognise these majestic ‘upside-down’ trees, which are commonly found in Limpopo. Baobab fruit has a hard outer shell containing a white powdery substance surrounding the seed. The powder is high in vitamin C. 

Taste: The powder has a distinct sour taste. 

Cook: Traditionally mixed with water to make a kind of lemonade, it also works in creamy desserts such as cheesecake.

2 ROOIBOS

Antioxidant-rich rooibos is a fynbos shrub found only in the Western Cape. Europeans started harvesting it in the Cederberg, where it is still farmed today.

Taste: It has a rich, almost sweet, full-bodied taste.

Cook: It goes perfectly with poultry, so make a marinade or basting sauce for chicken or duck.

3 MOROGO

Also known as imfino in isiXhosa and isiZulu, this is the Sesotho name for leafy greens in general. It’s also called ‘wild spinach’ – think of spinach with twice the flavour and none of the bitterness.

Taste: It has a rich, bold and earthy flavour.

Cook: Simply ditch the spinach or chard and use morogo instead.

4 BUCHU

The miracle herb has been used as a traditional remedy for thousands of years. The dried leaves and oil of this little shrub are helpful for treating bladder infections, rheumatism and stomach ache, and they also have antiseptic properties.

Taste: It has a strong scent of menthol and blackcurrant, with a similar bitter flavour.

Cook: Infuse your favourite spirits with it (ever heard of buchu brandy?), brew a cup of tea or

add it to your juices and smoothies to reap the health benefits.

5 WATERBLOMMETJIES

These ‘little water flowers’ grow on ponds and vleis in the rainy winter months. They have a scaly texture and need to be rinsed well or soaked before cooking.

Taste: They taste similar to green beans.

Cook: Make a bredie or add them to a salad or risotto.