Make Pap in the Microwave
Making delicious pap doesn't have to mean hours in front of a stove. Making that oh-so delicious South African porridge in the microwave not only saves time but it is also less messy and nothing is wasted since half the pap you make won't be left sticking to the side of the pot!
Steps
- Measure out a cup of maize flour into the microwave bowl (1 cup should make enough for 3-4 people).
- Depending on where you are from and how you like your pap add a pinch of salt, more than a pinch or none at all!
- Add just enough of the freshly boiled water to wet all the flour and work it in with the fork.
- Set microwave on "High" and the timer for 10 minutes.
- Put the lid on your bowl and pop it in the microwave.
- Microwave for about a minute and then remove again.
- Thoroughly stir in a little bit more water and return to the microwave.
- Repeat this process (Remove, add a little water and stir, microwave again) 3 or 4 more times during cooking time at regular intervals - find a rhythm that works for you!
Tips
- For Putu (Krummel) pap, add a little less water and use the fork make to the pap crumbly - believe me, the microwave can make perfect krummelpap!
- Likewise you can use the same method to make smaller amounts - just use a third or quarter cup to make a single serving
- If you have a big enough bowl you can use more than a cup of flour, but you might have a better end result if you rather make it in batches - should you require more pap.
- A glass (Pyrex) bowl is preferable to a plastic microwave bowl
- Making pap in the microwave may seem strange at first, but you will master it in no time and no one will be able to tell the difference!
- In the same way, adding more water will give you a denser (stewie) pap or if you add too much water (with finer flour) you will have slap pap.
Warnings
- Use oven mitts as the bowl will get really hot after the first couple of minutes.
- DO NOT forget about it after the first minute! If you neglect to add water and stir an incredibly dense layer of burnt maize will form and the bowl you were using will be a write off. Its only 10 minutes, so pay attention!
- a cloud of super hot steam will escape every time you open to stir so take the lid off carefully and away from your face
Things You'll Need
- A microwave
- Coarse Maize flour (Mieliemeel)
- a kettle of freshly boiled water
- a large microwavable bowl with lid
- a fork - preferably a large two tine fork
