Biology:Mielie-meal

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Mielie Meal
Meilie Meal.jpg
Mielie Meal paste served with syrup
as a breakfast dish
Alternative namesMaize meal/ Bota
TypeFlour; staple food
CourseAny, often breakfast
Place of originSouthern Africa
Main ingredientsMaize
Similar dishesCornmeal

Mielie Meal (or maize meal) is a relatively coarse flour (much coarser than cornflour or cornstarch) made from maize which is known as Hupfu[1] or mealies in southern Africa, from the Portuguese milho. The Portuguese had originally brought corn from the Americas to Africa.[2]

It is a food that was originally eaten by the Voortrekkers during The Great Trek[citation needed], but has become the staple diet of South Africa, because of its ability to be stored without refrigeration, it is cheap and abundant in all shops and markets. It is a staple food in South Africa ,[3] Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana and many other parts of Southern Africa, traditionally made into uphuthu, sour-milk porridge, pap, and also umqombothi (a type of beer).

Pap and phutu

The raw ingredient of mielie meal is added to boiling water, the ratio of which produces either porridge[3] or the firmer pap/nshima/sadza. When making porridge, milk it is sometimes used to produce a creamier dish, the porridge usually has a thick texture and is commonly eaten for breakfast in southern Africa.[citation needed] The firmer pap is eaten with meat and gravy dishes as well as vegetable relishes. It is similar to Italian polenta except that it, like grits in the Southern United States, is usually made of a white rather than a yellow maize variety.

Nutrition facts

Mealie meal is a very high energy food, containing carbohydrates, protein, fat and fiber.[4]

See also

References

de:Mielie Pap