Pap is popular across Africa. And like other foods that are shared across the African continent, each country has a distinct way of preparing and eating their pap. In East Africa, pap is ugali while West Africans call it polenta. In Zulu pap is called phutu. Pap is a cornmeal that is mostly eaten as breakfast, made from milled white maize. The South African pap recipe can be prepared in two ways: either as sweet porridge or stiff starch that can be eaten alongside a sauce. It is a general and well-received meal by the Zulus, Afrikaners, and all the South African tribes in-between.
South African pap recipe
Image: Pinterest
Pap ingredients
- 2½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 cups maize meal
- Butter (just a dab)
Image: Pinterest
Directions
- Place your aluminium pot on the stove, the fire at medium heat. As the pot is heating up, get your pap ready. Also, the pot doesn’t have to be an aluminium one.
- Then pour water into the pot. You can use tap water. Allow the water to boil before adding salt to it. But don’t let the water boil over. If it is showing signs, pour some away into the sink.
- Add in your maize meal and turn down the heat. If you’re using a gas cooker you might want to turn it even lower.
- The maize meal is stirred in. Then, remove the lid after simmering for five minutes and then flavour with some butter. Close the lid and lower the heat.
- In the process of cooking, remove lid only twice to stir. It should take half an hour to cook. Also, be careful so that your maize meal doesn’t burn.
Image: Serious Eats
Sauce ingredients
- A small jar of tomato sauce
- 1 apple
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 sweet onion
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- A few garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- Pinches of salt and pepper
Directions
- First, get your ingredients ready. Grate your apple after peeling it. Cut your onions and crush one or two bulbs of garlic. Then mix everything in a bowl
- Pour two tablespoons of olive oil with your stove at medium heat, and then add all the ingredients. Stir to make sure the heat spreads evenly. And if your ingredients are sticking to the bottom of the pan, add some more olive oil.
- As the pan is cooking, add your tomato sauce, soy juice, and sugar. Continue stirring as you add a bit of salt and pepper.
- Turn the heat down and continue to stir. After ten minutes put off the stove and let your pan cool aside.
- Serve by pouring the sauce over the pap or beside. Also, add some chopped tomatoes to beef up the sauce.
However, stir well to make sure your pap is rid of hard lumps. Also, be careful not to overcook as this might make your pap lose density.
Read more: The Only Chocolate Cake Recipe You Will Need
Source: Wiki How
