1. The food genre that we tend to lump together as ‘Indian food’ exists in different forms in different parts of the world. Even within South Africa there are lots of different types of Indian restaurant.
2. There have been several waves of immigration into South Africa from the Indian subcontinent. Our restaurants reflect these overlapping waves of immigration.

WAVE 1

• On 16 November 1860 the first ship bearing Indian indentured labourers arrived in KZN.
• Subsequently a further 383 ships brought more than 150,000 Indians to KZN.
• These indentured labourers were predominantly from Southern states in India and were predominantly Hindu (vegetarian). Contracted for 2 x 5 years after which they could either get a free passage home or a plot of land equivalent to the price of the passage. While they were earning their ‘freedom’ they were issued only with food rations not wages.

WAVE 2:

• In addition to the indentured labourers there was a second wave of 19 th century Indian immigrants who arrived as traders from India’s west and north coast. These people were richer, some were Muslim (and hence meat eaters) and many were spice traders.
• Many of these people belonged to the ‘bannia’ caste from which word we get the term ‘Bunny’ chow – it’s the chow of the bannia’s

HOW DO WAVE 1 and 2 cook?

• The food of the descendents of 19 th century Indian immigrants is now a classic SA fusion food which combines elements of both the first and second wave cuisines and also elements of African indigenous ingredients. This is the kind of food that we call ‘Durban curry’ (use of inkomazi in biryani, fritters that are made with ground split peas in India are made with corn in SA etc, the regional specificity of Indian food has fallen away to be replaced by a broader South African generalised ‘Indianness’.

WAVE 3:

In the post 1994 era there has been a third wave of people from the Indian subcontinent. Many of these people come from Pakistan. Where meat is much more prominent in the diet. What is happening is that more and more the South African style Indian restaurants are being replaced with those run by more recent immigrants.

Bismillah

78 Mint Road , Fordsburg, JHB

011 838 8051

• Food genre: North Indian
• Wine list: strictly Halaal. No wine list. No BYO
• Price: approximately R80 for two courses NB. Halaal so no booze bill
• What sets it apart: Bismillah is where the Indian cricket team eat when they are in Johannesburg.
• Décor: weird. Some rooms red flocked wall paper others fake wood. Chandeliers and naked fluorescent tubes.
• What to pick on the menu: Naan bread comes as light golden clouds of elastic dough. The chicken korma is meltingly smooth. Chapli kebabs (lamb mince, coriander, ginger, garlic, chilli), red lentil dhal, kulfi iced desserts pickles, fluffy sweet lassis (whipped yoghurt drinks)

Shayona

74 Church Street , Mayfair (West), JHB

011 837 2407

• Food Genre: vegetarian South Indian
• Wine list: no wine list. No BYO
• Price: approximately R50 for two courses
• What sets it apart? Undoubtedly the nicest restaurateurs in Johannesburg – manager Vishal Patel literally apologises to the bean plant for distress it incurred while beans were plucked for his very fine bean curry.
• Why do they do this? This eatery is run by devotees of 7 th century Hindu Guru Swarmi Narayan. One of their beliefs is that gossip in the kitchen will put bad energy into the food so only positive topics of discussion and religious devotions are advanced.
• Menu: menu which changes daily but includes the likes of Mukkha chickpea swirls, Moona samoosas sprinkled with coconut and coriander sambal, the best panner cheese in South Africa and crisp papad studded with cumin.
  

Al-Amin

217 Jewel street , Laudium (between Kharbai Motors & Easy Build) Pretoria

012 374 6753 / 374 6771

• Food genre: Pakistani
• Wine list: Strictly Halaal. No BYO
• Price: approximately R60.00 for two courses
• NB. VERY CHILD FRIENDLY: Children welcome. Kid’s menu. Play area with television and kiddie cartoons (sometimes hijacked by waiters to watch cricket)
• Décor: hideous: Multiple televisions booming out cricket scores. Pastel yellow satin chairs
• Food: Gas tandoor ovens are used to produce a bread selection that could almost be a meal on its own. Aloo paratha breads with cumin infused potato filing compete for attention with aromatic sesame seed flecked naan. The rumal roti could easily be mistaken for a flattened French croissant – so light, airy and buttery is this flat bread. Mains are spectacular - tiny yellow pearls of soft lentils are topped with homemade spinach infused cheese. The prawn briyani is unsurpassed anywhere in South Africa.

Bukhara

First Floor, Michelangelo Towers, Nelson Mandela Square, JHB

011 883 5555

• Food genre: blue chip North Indian
• Why do people go here: It has a wine list!! NB. wine list: theoretically wide selection of local and international wines skillfully chosen to match the spicy food. Reality is that many are not available.
• Price: approximately R140 for a two course meal excluding alcohol
• Décor: smart Sandton classy. Dark wood décor gives a classy quiet feel.
• What to eat: The baigan bharta aubergine curry is roasted in the tandoor oven. Perfect butter chicken. The layered paratha breads are deliciously executed.