Some people begin with hot water and slowly pour in the flour with some salt until it firms up and cooks fully. Others begin by mixing the maize flour with cold water until it forms a porridge-like texture, bring it to a boil, and then add more flour to firm it up.
I like to add a little twist to my pap. I begin with a bit of oil and very thinly sliced onions and caramelize them. Then I add my flour and salt and toast it until it changes color a bit and starts to smell like fried corn (not burnt!). Then I add hot water and keep mixing until it firms up into a ball-like consistency. In Eswatini, some people like their pap formed into a ball, and others like it grainier.
Did I mention that part of making this dish is also being physically fit? Well not really, but making pap requires a lot of strength, especially if you want to be able to roll it into a ball consistency. It requires strength and a balance of adding in water and maize flour to make sure that it comes out fully cooked while still being nice and soft.
As for the stew, you boil the meat with salt until it’s fully cooked, and you can add some onions. Some people stop there, but I like to take it a step further. You might have noticed by now that I love flavors, and to me, cooking is an experiment with flavors. I stir-fry the meat with onions and green peppers, add seasoning, including tomato paste, and then boil it. It comes out looking more appetizing!
