Kalahari delicacies next to the road

Dirk Heinrich 

Far south of Rundu next to the Omuramba Omatako River in the Kavango East Region, in the shade of a large tree, a young woman sits together with her daughter. Next to her there is a plastic bowl and a metal pot filled with what at first glance look similar to potatoes, some as big as a man’s fist. When asked what she is selling, she mentions that these are Kalahari truffles which she found and dug up in the area. She is not the only one selling this desert delicacy and a kilometre further on, we find another woman offering Kalahari truffles next to the road while cattle graze nearby.  

Kalahari truffles can be found in sandy areas of the east of the country after good rains have fallen and preceding winter. They can be eaten raw, cooked or fried, combined with meat and sauce or in combination with various vegetables. 

When preparing it is important to clean them properly to wash away all sand, then peel them and thereafter prepare the desert fungus that has a unique and somewhat nutty taste. When Kalahari truffles become available, a number of restaurants in the country usually also offer special dishes featuring this unique delicacy. Among the local communities, they are more commonly known by their Nama name ‘!nabas’.