Crumbly maize porridge (krummelpap)

Pap – a porridge made from maize (corn) meal – is the staple food of southern Africa.

Krummelpap, which means "crumbly porridge", is made with very little water, giving it a dry and crumbly texture.

It is usually combined with a tomato-and-onion sauce, such as sheba sauce or chakalaka sauce, and served as a side dish together with barbecued meat or boerewors (braaivleis).

People in the Western Cape tend to eat krummelpap with milk and sugar for breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups (625 ml) boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
  • 2½ cups (400 gram) maize meal

Method

  1. Pour boiling water and salt into saucepan with a thick base and a lid. Bring to boil.
  2. Add the maize meal to the boiling water.
  3. Close the lid, without stirring.
  4. Reduce heat. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove lid and stir well with a wooden spoon or a large kitchen fork.
  6. Replace lid, reduce heat and steam for about half an hour, until done, but be careful not to burn it.
  7. Fluff with a fork or wooden spoon a few times during cooking.

Notes

You can add frozen corn to the pap, before steaming it.

Add a knob of butter to the pap shortly before fluffing it for the last time, this adds to its flavour.