
If you grew up in South Africa or lived there for a significant amount of time, the chances are good that you’ve encountered mebos at some point. This tangy and sweet dried fruit treat, often made from apricots, holds a special place in the hearts of South Africans around the world. For expats who find themselves yearning for a piece of home, learning about mebos—or better yet, attempting a traditional mebos recipe—is a heartwarming way to reconnect with South African culinary heritage.
What is Mebos?
Mebos is a traditional South African dried fruit snack made by fermenting, seasoning, and pressing dried apricots into flattened pieces or balls. This simple treat blends the sweetness of apricots with a tangy kick from added salt and sugar. The result? A chewy, flavorful snack, perfect for road trips, lunchboxes, or a nostalgic treat.
Traditionally, mebos sweets were sold in small packs at local markets, enjoyed by kids and adults alike. It’s a distinctly South African treat and a reminder of a time when families made homemade apricot mebos to share.
The history of Mebos
Derived from the Cape Malay culinary tradition, mebos reflects South Africa’s rich cultural tapestry. Apricots, a key ingredient in mebos, were first introduced to South Africa by Dutch settlers who brought the fruit from Europe. Over time, local communities—including the Cape Malay population—adapted the fruit into their cuisine, creating mebos as a way to preserve apricots and enjoy them year-round in a unique format.
What makes mebos South Africa special is not just its flavor, but also its cultural significance. A trip to any market or roadside farm stall in South Africa is incomplete without spotting bundles of safari mebos or brightly packaged mebos sweets South Africa. It’s a treat that cuts across demographics, reminding people of long summer days and shared snacks under the African sun.
How is Mebos made?
Mebos is a naturally preservative-free, intensely flavorful snack that’s portable and long-lasting. Made from simple ingredients like dried apricots, sugar, and salt, its magic comes from the preparation. Traditionally, it was made over several days to fully develop its flavour.
Modern versions of mebos dried fruit often add spices like chili or ginger for a bold twist. Feeling adventurous? Here’s a quick guide to making mebos fruit at home.
Mebos Recipe
Ingredients
- Fresh, ripe apricots
- Salt
- Water
- Sugar
Method
- Prepare a brine by mixing 250 grams of salt with 2 liters of water.
- Soak the apricots in the brine overnight, then peel off the skins the next day.
- Lay the apricots out in the sun for a day to soften, then carefully remove the pits.
- Flatten the apricots into rounds. For smaller apricots, you can press 2 or 3 together into a single flat shape.
- Arrange the flattened apricots on racks and place them in the sun for 4 to 6 days, covering them with muslin. Turn the fruit regularly to ensure even drying and proper airflow.
- Bring the apricots inside at night. Alternatively, use a convection oven set to 60°C to dry them for about 6 hours, turning them occasionally.
- Once dried, pack the apricots (now mebos) into small boxes and sprinkle sugar over them. Use about 750 grams of sugar for every 500 grams of mebos.
Is Mebos healthy?
Wondering if mebos is healthy? It depends on the preparation. Traditional mebos, made with natural ingredients, provides fiber, vitamins, and natural sugars from apricots, making it a healthier snack than processed sweets.
However, added salt and sugar can increase sodium and calories. Like any snack, mebos is best in moderation. If you make your own, you can control the sugar and salt to suit your diet.
Bringing Mebos to life wherever you are
Whether purchased online, made at home, or discovered during a trip back to South Africa, mebos sweets are a delicious and meaningful way to celebrate your roots. The next time you crave a bite of home, try your hand at crafting some apricot mebos, or share your favorite recipes with fellow expats and South African food enthusiasts.
FinGlobal: Not only a destination to find nostalgic South African Snack recipes
While we know how to share a brilliant recipe at FinGlobal, we’re about a lot more than that. We believe it’s important to enjoy a taste of home while abroad, but we also believe that it’s important to have a smooth financial transition. And that’s why we focus our professional attention on helping South Africans with their tax and financial emigration when they choose to leave the country.
We can provide advice and guidance on financial emigration, retirement annuity withdrawal, FOREX, tax refunds, tax clearance, exchange control, and much more. We have a decade of experience in the industry and pride ourselves on keeping up to date with the latest regulations and rules in the business.
If you’d like to chat with a knowledgeable consultant, take the time to get in touch with us. You can give us a call at +27 28 313 5600 or email us at info@finglobal.com at your convenience, and one of our friendly consultants will assist you further.