The braai (abbreviation of braaivleis, Afrikaans "meat grill") started out as a major social tradition amongst the Afrikaner people of Southern Africa, though the tradition has since been taken up by South Africans of all ethnic backgrounds. The word has been adopted by English-speaking South Africans and can be regarded as another word for barbecue, in that it serves as a verb when describing how food is cooked and a noun when describing the cooking equipment. For example, fish can be "braaied" and a charcoal grill is the braai.

A braai is a social occasion and often there are specific social norms, e.g. women rarely braai meat. This is normally the preserve of men and they gather round the "braai", or "braaistand" (the fire or grill) and cook the food while women prepare the salads, desserts and vegetables for the meal.

While wood was the most widely used "fuel" for a "braai", the use of charcoal has increased. There has been a renewed interest in the use of wood after the South African Government started with its alien plant removal program.

External link

• Braai page on Yahoo! Travel