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In South Africa, mealie pap is pap or porridge is a breakfast meal made from milled white maize that is enjoyed by people of all ages. When the household can afford it, it is eaten simply with sugar and milk, or with golden syrup and butter.
Children love this maize porridge a lot. In fact, you can tag this dish ‘children’s favorite’ with a lovely maple butter sauce to spread on top, elevating nursery food to a whole new level.
This porridge can also be served as a savory dish, similar to congee, with chopped spring onions and sliced cooked eggs.
Is Mealie Pap Good For You?
South African mielie meal porridge or pap contains important micronutrients and they include;
- Iron – aids in the prevention of iron deficient anaemia.
- Vitamin A – aids in the health of the eyes, mouth, intestines, and lungs, as well as in the fight against infections.
- B vitamins – aid in the regulation of metabolism and the release of energy
How To Make Mealie Pap
This Creamy Breakfast Mielie pap, is the South African equivalent of creamy polenta porridge, cornmeal porridge, or creamy breakfast grits. Ugali, Sadza, and Nsima are some of these varieties in other African countries.
It is one of the greatest first porridges for your infant. The smooth texture makes it easy to swallow, and the bland flavor is well accepted and tolerated by most babies.
It is custom prepared using dried white maize, which the Portuguese introduced to Africa from South America. It is available in coarse or fine varieties depending on its application and is not as fine as cornflour / cornstarch.
To serve, room temperature or lukewarm porridge is required and the leftover porridge can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Mealie Pap
Ingredients
- 1 liter water
- 1 cup white maize meal Tip: You can find maize or mealie meal at South African stores, or you can substitute with grits, cornmeal or polenta.
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup whole or low fat milk warm, plus extra if needed
- Brown sugar to taste
Instructions
- Boil the water in a kettle. Add the water and maize meal to a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed pot, and heat slowly bringing to the boil while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon so no lumps form, for about 10 minutes. It will make little “plop” sounds as it thickens and cooks. The porridge should be smooth.
- Lower the heat and cover the pot with a lid and allow the porridge to simmer for 40 minutes. You’ll need to lift the lid and stir frequently to ensure it doesn’t catch or burn at the bottom.
- While the porridge is cooking, add maple syrup to a small saucepan and heat on medium. It will immediately start to bubble. Be careful not to let it burn. Once it starts to bubble a little, remove from the heat. Add the butter and stir slowly with a spatula until it melts. Set aside.
- The porridge should be very smooth and thick now, but not stiff (expect a “gloopy” consistency). Grits, if using, will retain a characteristic grainy feel, but should also be plump and smooth. Stir in the milk. The consistency will depend on your preference—some prefer a thicker porridge and others a runnier version.
- Serve hot with sprinkle of sugar and a drizzle of maple butter syrup.
