The people of Mzansi are known for their love of corn or mealies. It’s a staple food in most households that give us our much loved mealie pap.
KwaZulu-Natal small scale farmer Nokuthula Khoza has started doing things differently by using her extended maize crops to make masa to create other dishes for her family to enjoy.
Masa is a corn dough that comes from ground nixtamalized corn, traditionally used in Latin American dishes to make corn tortillas, tamales and pupusas (thick cornmeal flatbread).
To begin with, the maize is soaked and cooked in lime water. The outer covering is then washed off. This increases the nutritional value of the maize, making it easier to digest, the flavour is improved and it is more easily ground.
It is now called nixtamal and can be dried, cooked as whole kernels, or ground to make masa. This sticky wet mixture that can be used in various ways.
Here are some recipes to try:
Umdoko/Imbila
Ingredients
- 1 litre water
- 2 ½ cups masa
- ½ cup Sugar
- 3 lemons
Method
- Boil water first
- Once the water starts to boil, mix masa in a small bowl with cold water. Stir till smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the boiling water and stir as you are pouring it in the pot.
- Let it simmer for 20 minutes
- After 20 minutes enjoy your umboko
Umqa (Porridge)/Isijingi
Ingredients
- Butternut
- Sugar
- Masa
Method
- Peel and chop butternut into pieces.
- Add a little bit of sugar to your taste.
- Pour water in a pot and place on the fire/stove.
- Let it boil until the butternut is soft, once the butternut is smooth enough, add the
- Stir until it is firmly mixed.
- Let the mixture simmer for 25 minutes. The Umqa is ready for you to enjoy.
Soft Drink
Ingredients
- 3 cups of masa
- 1 litre water
- Pinch of salt
- Sugar (optional)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 lemon
Method
- Cook the above ingredients like porridge.
- Must not be a thick porridge.
- Wait for it to cool, and you can drink it.
Maize Spiral Chips
Ingredients
- 1 cup masa
- Pinch Salt
- Little bit of sugar
Method
Mix together and fry in a dry pan (without oil)
Sopi (Xhosa meal)
Ingredients
- Boiled kernels
- Boiled beans
- 1 potato
- Salt
- Water
Method
- Pre-cook kernels.
- Add kernels to beans in a pot.
- Add rest of ingredients and cook until soft.
- Serve with masa bread