Maize Meal Bake

 1 cup fine maize meal - sifted from eMoyeni Yellow Mealie Meal

half a cup sour milk                                                                     half a cup warm water

Mix these three ingredients together and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

2 sweetcorn - grate kernels off cob                                             ½ T honey

1 ml fine salt                                                                               2 eggs 

1 tsp fresh thyme                                                                        2 tsps olive oil

Beat all ingredients together to make a batter.  Pour into a suitable shallow greased baking dish.

Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes at 180°C.

Polenta Dish

1 cup eMoyeni yellow mealie meal                                                 1 litre vegetable stock

50 g butter or margarine                                                               cayenne pepper, ground chilli and mace

1 tbsp sunflower oil                                                                       250 g mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion                                                                                 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs

400 g  can chopped tomatoes, drained                                          50 g raisins

75 g  cheddar cheese

Place the maize meal and stock in a large saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring all the time to keep the mixture smooth.  When boiling, turn the heat down low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once cooked, beat in the butter or margarine until well amalgamated.  Season to taste with the spices, then spoon into a shallow, buttered ovenproof dish and smooth the top.  Leave to cool.  If you are making this ahead of time, place in the refrigerator.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, cover with a lid and soften over a very low hear for 6-8 mins.  When soft, toss in the mushrooms and the herbs, cover and steam gently for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes, stir in well and heat through.  Simmer gently for 5 mins, then add the raisins.  Sprinkle the dish with the grated cheese, then spoon the vegetables over the top.  Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.

Mealie Meal Balls

2 cups eMoyeni Yellow Mealie Meal                                                         2 ml salt

12 rashers bacon                                                                                   2 large onions, finely chopped

1 large green pepper, finely chopped                                                       1 clove garlic, crushed

1 egg, beaten                                                                                         2 ml cayenne pepper

2 eggs, beaten                                                                                       50 ml parsley, finely chopped

oil for deep frying                                                                                   ±250 ml soft breadcrumbs

Combine the mealie meal and salt before blending with 375 ml cold water.  Add 7501 ml hot water and microwave for 5 mins on 100% power.  Stir well and microwave for another 4 mins, stirring well at 2-min intervals.  (Can also be made in a pot on the stove)

Fry the bacon until slightly crisp.  Remove from the pan and chop finely.  Saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in the oil in the pan until soft.  Add to the mealie pap along with the bacon and blend well.  Add the egg, cayenne pepper, salt to taste and parsley, and mix well.

Roll into walnut-sized balls.  Dip the balls in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Deep fry in the oil until golden brown.  Serve hot or cold with a braai.  Makes 56 balls. 

Pan-fried Batter Fish

75 g flour                                                                                                 125 ml milk

1 egg                                                                                                       15 ml sugar

2 ml salt                                                                                                   2 ml paprika

1 ml cayenne pepper                                                                                 1 ml oregano leaves 

 75 g eMoyeni mealie meal                                                                        900 g fish fillets or steaks, thawed

125 ml oil

In a 23-cm pie dish stir together all the ingredients, except mealie meal, fish and oil.  On waxed paper place mealie meal.  Coat both sides of the fish with mealie meal, then dip into batter.

Heat oil until hot in frying pan, then cook fish over medium heat until golden brown on both sides and fish flakes with a fork.

Tortillas

1 cup cake flour                                                                                        1 cup fine yellow mealie meal (sift the mealie meal)

2 ml salt                                                                                                   1 egg

500 ml cold water

Mix and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Pour about 100ml of the batter on to a  moderately hot greased pan or stove top - stir each time you measure it out - to form a thin pancake.  Keep warm until filled and rolled up.  Makes approx 9 tortillas.

Serve with minced beef; marinated beef steak; hummus and roast vegetables; salad leaves, ham and mustard with a vinaigrette dressing; salad leaves and diced chicken with a spicy sauce or any filling of your choice!

Green Mealie and Mealie Meal Luncheon Dish

1 cup cold left over eMoyeni Mealie Meal porridge                                         1 cup fresh or frozen green mealies cut from cob

1 cup milk                                                                                                   1 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp salt                                                                                                     shake of pepper

a little sugar to taste                                                                                    2 eggs

1 cup coarsely grated cheese

Simmer mealies, margarine, salt, pepper and sugar until cooked.  Remove from heat, strain and cool.  

Mix cornflour with a little milk to a smooth paste.  Add to cold mealie meal and blend with paste.

Separate eggs and beat the yolks well.  Add to mealie meal with milk.  Beat until smooth, add cold mealies and add more seasoning if necessary.

Fold in grated cheese and egg whites.  Bake in a moderate oven (160° - 180°C) in buttered dish for about 30 min.  When crust is crisp and brown, remove and serve at once.