How to Make Pap

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 16, 2020 References

Pap is a traditional South African staple food. If prepared correctly, it tastes great and leaves you feeling full and satisfied. This is a relatively simple dish which you will be able to make in no time.

Ingredients

The Pap

2 to 2 1/2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
2 to 3 cups of maize meal
Dab of butter

Pap Relish

2 red onions
2 tablespoons of olive oil
20-30 halved baby rose tomatoes
1/2 cup of dry white wine
2 teaspoons of Worcester sauce
3 tablespoons chopped herbs
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Tad bit of ground pepper

Pap Sauce

1 apple
1 sweet onion
A few garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of sugar
A small jar of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
Pinches of salt and pepper

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing the Pap

1
Take out an aluminum pot. Place it on the burner (stovetop). Turn the temperature up to medium, mid-high heat. Allow your pot to warm up as you prepare the rest of the pap.^{[1]
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- If you have a gas stove, turn the heat down to medium, mid-low. A gas stove will heat up much faster than an electric stove.
- You can use other types of pots as well such as steel or copper. However, aluminum pots will transfer heat more equitable throughout your dish.
2
Pour water into the pot. You can use tap water or purified water. Pour in about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of water (500-600 mL). Allow the water to sit in the pot until it comes to boil. Add one teaspoon of salt to the water.^{[3]
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- Do not let the water boil over. If you have a low-standing pot, turn the heat down slightly or pour some of the water off into your sink.
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3
Add in the maize meal. Maize meal is basically a South African version of grits and cornmeal. Add in about 2-3 cups of maize meal to the boiling water. Place the lid on the pot. Turn the heat down to medium.^{[4]
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- If you are using a gas stove, keep the heat at medium, mid-low.
- You can use either rice or grits as a substitute for Maize meal.
4
Stir your maize meal. After you have let the maize meal simmer for five minutes, remove the lid. Stir the mixture so that the heat is distributed equally. You can add in a little butter for extra flavor. Replace the lid, and reduce the heat to low.^{[5]
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- You can use margarine as a substitute for butter.
- The goal is to have the ingredients mixed well, without being either too thick or too thin. Take some maize meal in a spoon and drop back into the pot. If it slowly slides off your spoon, that is a good consistency.
5
Simmer the maize meal for another half an hour. Only remove the lid once or twice to stir. Immediately replace the lid when you are done stirring. It might not take the full half hour to cook. Make sure to keep an eye on the pot so that your maize meal does not burn. ^{[7]
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- If you feel as if the pot is getting too hot, you can slant the lid so that a small section allows hot air to go free. Let the lid stay slanted for a minute before you replace it.
- You can also add some more butter here if you feel as if the consistency is too thin.
6
Turn off your stove. Take the pot off of the burner and let it sit somewhere safe so that it can cool down. Do not remove the lid until you are ready to serve. Dish out the pap with a large spoon, and serve with meat and a vegetable.^{[8]
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- When you take the dish to the table, make sure to lay down a pot holder first, as the pot will be very hot.
- It is best to let the contents of your pot to sit for a while. You want the ingredients to be very moist when you eat them. Removing the lid right away can cause your pap to dry out.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making Pap Relish

1
Halve and slice two red onions. Place them in a pan with two tablespoons of olive oil. Put the pan on the stovetop and turn the heat to medium, mid-high. Heat the onions until they are translucent. Continue to stir the onions so that the heat is distributed equally.^{[10]
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- You can use sweet white onions as a substitute for the red onions.
- If you have a gas stove, turn the heat down to medium to mid-low as you stir the onions. Gas stoves heat much quicker than electric stoves.
2
Mix together the rest of the ingredients. While the onions are frying, prepare a mixture in a bowl. The mixture includes: 20-30 halved baby rose tomatoes, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 2 teaspoons Worcester sauce, 3 tablespoons chopped herbs, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and a tad bit of ground pepper. Mix together with your hands or a spoon.^{[11]
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- Be careful as to not crush the tomatoes. You will want the appearance of the tomatoes on your final dish.
- The chopped herbs could include parsley, rosemary, basil, or thyme. Feel free to mix and match depending on your personal taste preferences.
3
Add the mixture to the onions. Once the onions are translucent, add the mixture. Stir with a spoon so that the onions mix together with the rest of the ingredients. Place a lid on the frying pan. Reduce the heat to low, mid-low.^{[12]
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- As you are stirring the mixture, feel free to add more olive oil if the ingredients start sticking to the pan.
4
Simmer your ingredients. Do this for about one hour. Continue to stir the ingredients every 10 minutes or so, and immediately replace the lid. After the hour is up, turn the heat off.^{[13]
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- The most important thing is to not burn the ingredients, particularly the tomatoes. If at any time you feel as if the ingredients are done cooking, turn the heat off.
5
Take your pan off the burner. Let it sit somewhere safe so that it can cool down. Take a spoon and pour it directly over, or next to, the pap. Garnish the dish with fresh herbs, like parsley, oregano, or basil.^{[14]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Creating Pap Sauce

1
Prepare the main ingredients for your sauce. Peel an apple with a sharp knife, then grate it with a cheese grater. Finely chop an onion and crush a few garlic cloves. Mix the apple, onion, and garlic together in a bowl. Make sure all of the ingredients are equally distributed.^{[15]
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- The key here is to keep the ingredients from becoming "mush." As an example, you will want the consistency to be more like chunky tomato sauce, rather than ketchup.
2
Turn on your stovetop to medium, mid-high. Place a pan on the stove, and pour in about two tablespoons of olive oil. Dump the ingredients into the pan once it is hot. Begin to stir them with a spoon so that all of the ingredients receive some heat.^{[16]
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- As you are stirring, feel free to add more olive oil if you feel as if the ingredients start to stick to the pan.
- If you are using a gas stove, keep the heat at medium.
3
Add in some extra ingredients. Once the mixture starts to cook, add 1 tablespoon of sugar, a small jar of tomato sauce, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Flavor the dish with pinches of salt and pepper. Continue to mix the ingredients together as you add them.^{[17]
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- Use a tomato sauce that is chunky as an added dimension to your dish.
- If you are not a fan of soy sauce, you can use Worcestershire as a substitute.
4
Simmer your ingredients. Turn your pan to low, mid-low. Let the ingredients heat up, as you continue to stir them every few minutes. Once the ten minutes is up, turn the stove off. Place the pan somewhere safe to cool down.^{[18]
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- As your ingredients are simmering, feel free to add olive oil if your ingredients start sticking.
- Always remove ingredients at any time you see them beginning to burn.
- Tilt your lid to the side if you think the pan is too hot. Let some of the hot air release before you put the lid back on.
5
Serve your sauce. You can either pour the sauce over the pap with a spoon, or serve it on the side. Garnish the dish with fresh herbs, and some added spices. Feel free to chop up some tomatoes, or other vegetables which might compliment the dish.^{[19]
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Community Q&A

Question

Is this the same as the Romanian mamaliga?

Community Answer

They are similar. Both are porridge made from ground yellow maize (corn). However, Pap is commonly used as a breakfast meal, while mamaliga is a staple dish. They come from different origins and have slightly different recipes.

Warnings

Be careful of a hot stove. Do not place your hands directly on the pot. Always use pot holders.

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Do not let your food burn. Continue to stir until you feel as if the ingredients have been cooked fully.

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