Looking for a winning side dish to accompany your lekker braai this weekend? Home cooking extraordinaire Siphokazi Mdlankomo’s deep-fried pap balls, stuffed with chicken and mushroom in a béchamel sauce, come highly recommended.
Nothing screams South African like a good pot of pap, but Mdlankomo’s twist is sure to add a little excitement to your braai plate.
Make Mdlankomo’s deep-fried pap balls, glammed up with a stuffing of chicken and mushrooms, and a dash of sauciness.
ALSO READ: The village girl who found culinary stardom
EQUIPMENT
mixing bowls x 6
chopping board
knives
paper towel
plate for plating
pots x 4, medium and a deep pot for deep frying
water
kitchen towels
soapy water in a bowl for hands
oil for deepfrying
spoons
wooden spoons
measuring jug
INGREDIENTS
Béchamel sauce
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped chicken and mushrooms
salt and pepper
Tomato and onion relish (Bisto)
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp Italian herbs
1 tbsp chutney
60 ml vegetable stock
Pap
250g maize meal
1 tbsp garlic salt
500ml chicken stock or water
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup baby spinach or shredded cabbage
To make pap balls
1 cup flour
1 cup amasi
3 cups bread crumbs
100g cheese, cut into small blocks
oil for deep frying
Bisto (tomato and onion relish) to serve
Basil to garnish
METHOD
Béchamel sauce
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan, stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the milk and stir using a whisk to avoid lumps.
- Season with salt and pepper, lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken and mix to combine.
- Remove from heat and spread on the tray.
- Leave to chill and set until needed.
Tomato and onion relish (Bisto)
- Heat oil in a saucepan and fry onion.
- Add the garlic, tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.
- Add the herbs, chutney, stock, close with the lid and cook for 10 minutes or until cooked.
Pap
- Bring stock or water to a boil in a sauce pan.
- Once water has boiled add spinach or cabbage, garlic salt, then whisk in the maize meal.
- Once maize meal is whisked in use a wooden spoon to stir the pap.
- Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes with the lid closed.
- Add the butter and cook for a further 5 minutes.
To make pap balls
- Heat oil in a pot on medium heat.
- Take a spoonful of the pap and press in each of the rings.
- Add a teaspoon of the chicken mixture and a block of cheese in each ball.
- Shape into a ball.
- Place flour, amasi and breadcrumbs into separate bowls.
- Deep each ball in flour, amasi, then breadcrumbs.
- Fry the balls for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Drain on a paper towel.
- Serve with Bisto and garnished with basil.
ALSO READ: The village girl who found culinary stardom
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