I’ll start by explaining Pap is a South African staple, made from maize meal, a starch which can be cooked runny, stiff and even crumbly.

You can enjoy it with butter, sugar and milk (breakfast) With crackling or chicken livers (lunch) or as an accompaniment with sausage and egg (dinner) So versatile!

Now I hate to admit it, but over the years I have completely destroyed a pot every time I tried to cook pap – I always end up burning the base blacker than black! Whether it is my stove or skills, either way no amount of scrubbing would bring my pots back from the dead.

A dear friend even gave me her “Best Pap Pot” that “Cannot burn”. Suffice to say our friendship survived while the pot did not.

Years went by and I accepted that it’s just not something I can master.

After being an expat for 5 years, missing pap and craving it, I was talking to my MOM and lo and behold, she lets me her cheeky secret – she hasn’t used a pot to cook pap since 2001, SHE uses her Microwave! Say whaaat?!

Now, I can proudly say I FINALLY know how to cook Pap! Allow me to share my knowledge with you!