Southern Africa · Street food
Likobe (Boiled Whole Maize and Bean Medley)
A rustic, sustaining Basotho grain and pulse pot seasoned with onion and tallow.
The story
In the high-altitude pastures across the Maloti-Drakensberg range, Likobe is the definitive sustenance carried by young herd-boys (balisana) who traverse mountainous terrains for weeks. Traditionally cooked over wood fires in villages during harvesting times, it is served warm or packed cold into cloth bundles to provide sustained energy. The secret to authentic Likobe is simmering whole, unground dry kernels rather than milled samp, requiring prolonged gentle cooking to allow the outer hulls to soften without losing their chewy, nutty texture.
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