Papa (Stiff Porridge)
In Lesotho, papa is a staple food that is eaten by practically every household. Maize is carried to a local mill in the highlands and ground into maize meal or mealie meal, which differs in color and taste from that used in the lowlands, which is more refined and store-bought.
Bring water to a boil in a pot, then add the maize meal and stir with a stick called a lesokoana until it has a thick consistency, then reduce the heat. After a few minutes, stir the papa again in a procedure called ho e fetola, which means "to turn it," and your papa should be more solid. After a few minutes, stir the papa again for the final turn, and your papa is ready. It is typically served with moroho (leafy greens), and papa ka moroho is a common dinner in Lesotho. Serve papa ka moroho with meat, canned fish, eggs, or other protein of your choosing for a more balanced meal. You can also serve it with fresh or sour milk, as well as your favorite beans, peas, or veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 1⁄4cups white cornmeal, 1cup milk, 1cup water
Instructions
- Heat a cup of water to boiling in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl gradually add 3/4 cup of the cornmeal to the milk, stirring briskly to make a smooth paste.
- Add this mixture to the boiling water, stirring constantly.
- Cook for 4 or 5 minutes while adding the remaining cornmeal.
- When mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pot and stick together, remove from heat.
- Dump oshifima into a lightly greased bowl.
- With damp hands, shape it into a smooth ball, turning in the bowl to help smooth it.
- Serve immediately.
- To eat in the traditional manner, tear off a piece of oshifima and make an indentation in it with your thumb. Use this hollow to scoop up stew or sauce from a communal bowl.
