The best thing about coming home, without a doubt, is the pap! Nothing else makes me feel like I’ve reconnected with my home country until I cook my first potful, whether it’s slappap, stywe pap or krummelpap. It’s that one ingredient that brings all South Africans – no matter what our culture – together, and it’s so willing to be dressed up or down. So, I recently asked you what some of your favourite pap recipes were and these 12 pap dishes were the ones I loved most. See if you can find yours!
STYWE PAP
When you leave slappap (below) to cool and dry out for long enough, you get stywe pap, the firm version. In other instances, you can wield stywe pap to take almost any form you like, whether rolling it into a ball or turning it into a slice of toast.
TIME: 30 minutes | SERVES: 4
Pour 500 ml water into a saucepan and add 5 ml salt and heat. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat. Gradually add 250 ml White Star Super Maize Meal and stir with a balloon whisk until smooth. Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to the lowest setting on your stove. You can give the porridge a stir every now and then. After 30 minutes the porridge should be done.
STYWE PAP FILLED WITH MOZZARELLA CHEESE
Add 3 circles of crumbled feta cheese to the porridge in the saucepan. Mix well and let it cool. Slice 150 g mozzarella cheese into blocks. Spoon the cooled porridge into the palm of your hand, then place a block of mozzarella cheese in the centre and cover the cheese, forming a ball. Roll the balls in cake flour. Beat 2 eggs and roll the balls in the egg mixture. Place 100 g dried breadcrumbs in a bowl. Roll the balls in the crumbs and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Heat 750 ml canola oil in a deep saucepan. Fry the balls until golden and crispy. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve warm.
STYWE PAP WITH MEALIE AND CHEDDAR CHEESE
Boil 4 mealies (corn) on the cob. Slice the kernels off the cob and stir half through the stywe pap. Add 200 g grated mature cheddar. Spoon the porridge onto serving plates and sprinkle the rest of the corn kernels on top. Sprinkle with a little more grated cheddar cheese.
FRENCH TOAST MADE FROM STYWE PAP
Spread the stywe pap onto a standard-sized baking tray. Let it cool. Slice the stywe pap into squares, or any size you prefer. Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Finely grate 100 g parmesan cheese. Melt 100 g (110 ml) butter in a saucepan. Dip the slices of stywe pap in the egg and then in the grated cheese. Carefully place in the saucepan, fry until golden on the one side and carefully turn over and fry on the other side until golden. Place on serving plates and drizzle with maple syrup
STYWE PAP WITH TOMATO SMOOR
Roughly chop 1 large onion and 2 cloves of garlic. Heat 45 ml olive oil in a saucepan, add the onion and garlic. Fry until soft and translucent. Add 2 x 400 g tins diced tomatoes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let the sauce simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Serve warm with stywe pap.
SLAPPAP
Smooth, sometimes runny (when served with milk and butter) and always delicious, slappap is the cornerstone of the traditional South African breakfast. But if you get a bit inventive with the toppings, the options are virtually endless.
TIME: 30 minutes | SERVES: 4
Pour 500 ml water in a saucepan and add 5 ml salt, then heat. Once the water starts to boil reduce the heat. Gradually add 190 ml White Star Super Maize Meal and stir with a balloon whisk until smooth. Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to the lowest setting on your stove. You can give the porridge a stir every now and then. After 20 minutes, the porridge should be done.
SLAPPAP WITH DRIED APRICOTS, DATES, ALMONDS AND HONEY
Spoon the slappap into a bowl. Slice 8 soft dried apricots into strips. Remove the pips of 8 dates and slice them into strips too. Place 50 g almonds in a saucepan and fry the almonds for about 1 minute. Roughly chop the almonds, then top the slappap with the fruit and almonds, and drizzle with honey.
SLAPPAP TOPPED WITH AN ENGLISH BREAKFAST
Heat the oven to 200 °C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place 8 slices streaky bacon on the baking tray and place in the oven. Roast until crispy. Halve 2 large tomatoes. Drizzle a little olive oil in an oven dish, then place the tomatoes in the dish and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the oven and roast until soft. Melt 50 g (55 ml) butter in a saucepan. Add 150 g baby mushrooms and fry until soft. Season with salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt 50 g (55 ml) butter. Break 4 eggs into the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Fry them to your taste. Spoon the slappap into bowls and top with bacon, fried egg and mushrooms. Place the tomatoes on the plate and top with thinly sliced spring onion.
SLAPPAP TOPPED WITH SAVOURY MINCE
Heat 60 ml olive oil in a saucepan. Add 500 g beef mince and fry until just cooked. Finely chop 1 onion and add to the mince. Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves. Halve 400 g baby Rosa tomatoes and add to the mince. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and 5 ml dried oregano. Add 125 ml white wine. Close the saucepan with a lid and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Open and let it simmer for 45 minutes. Spoon the slappap into bowls and top with the mince. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
SLAPPAP WITH BILTONG AND BUTTER
Roughly chop 200 g sliced biltong. Add the chopped biltong to the slappap in the saucepan and mix. Spoon into bowls and top with butter and more sliced biltong. Optional: there are some who love to add sugar and milk as well, but that is personal taste.
KRUMMELPAP
This is one way to make pap that can’t be mistaken for polenta, or any other starchy side for that matter. Krummelpap is uniquely South African and achieved when stirring the porridge with a fork until it becomes crumbly.
TIME: 40 minutes | SERVES: 4
Pour 250 ml water, 5 ml salt in a saucepan and add 500 ml White Star Super Maize. Keep stirring with a fork till its crumbly. Lower the heat and cover with a lid. Let the porridge steam for 30 minutes.
KRUMMELPAP WITH OVEN ROASTED SHEBA SAUCE
Heat the oven to 180 °C. Drizzle 60 ml olive oil on a baking tray. Slice 2 onions in half and place on the baking tray. Halve and deseed 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper and 1 green pepper and place with the onions on the baking tray. Slice 4 large very ripe tomatoes in half and place on the baking tray. Place 1 clove of garlic on the tray. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle a little olive oil over the vegetables. Place in the oven for 1 hour. Take out and spoon the roasted vegetables into a food processor. Blend until smooth. Serve warm with krummelpap and sprinkle with finely chopped chives.
KRUMMELPAP WITH YOGURT AND RASPBERRIES
Spoon the krummelpap into serving bowls. Top each with 45 ml Greek Style yogurt. Spoon 30 ml muscovado sugar on top of the yogurt. Top with fresh raspberries (you can decide on the amount) and sprinkle with mixed seeds. Finely slice fresh basil leaves and sprinkle over raspberries.
KRUMMELPAP WITH SOUR CREAM, SPINACH AND PARMESAN CHEESE
Spoon the krummelpap into serving bowls. Top each bowl with a handful of fresh baby spinach leaves. Spoon 45 ml sour cream onto the leaves. Finely grate 100 g parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top.
KRUMMELPAP TOPPED WITH KAIINGS, TOMATO AND HONEY
Slice 600 g lamb ribs into small blocks. Heat 15 ml olive oil in a saucepan and add the lamb. Fry over a low heat until crispy. Spoon onto a kitchen towel and season with salt. Spoon the krummelpap onto serving plates and top with kaiings. Halve the baby tomatoes and place on top with fresh basil leaves. Drizzle with honey.