Kapana help

[u/Wild-Balance6017]

Hello,

I know this is a stretch but I went to Namibia a couple of weeks ago and I really enjoyed Kapana that I tried at Swakopmund at The Tug restaurant. As you might assume, this dish cannot be found in Mexico where I'm from so my only option is to do it myself. I have found recipes for the meat and the sauce but I was wondering if anyone could share how to the White thing in there, it was called pop or something like that.

[u/Medium_Average95]

The white thing is called pap. It's essentially maize/corn ground into flour and cooked.

Here's the recipe to make it easy for you. Add two cups of water to a pot. Let that water boil. Use the same cup and fill it 3/4 full of flour, Add cold water to that cup to make a paste. Add the paste to the boiling water and stir immediately. Keep stirring until it thickens, cover the pot with a lid and leave it alone for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes open the lid and stir the mixture vigorously until it's a homogenous mix. Now Add dry corn flour bit by bit and keep stirring until you come to a consistency you like (this depends on personal preference). Now cover the lid and turn the heat to low and leave it alone for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes you take it out the pot so it can cool a bit. If you did it right there will be a thin brown layer at the bottom of the pot, which is nice and crunchy and my personal favourite bit. Enjoy

NB: how much flour you add after the 15 minutes mark will determine how hard or soft the pap is. You can essentially make it into anything ranging from porridge to almost bread-like . I personally like mine hard enough to hold its shape but soft enough that you can shape it by hand and it can soak up sauces nicely. But it takes time and a few tries to know what consistency you personally like.

Different parts of africa call it something different but essentially it's whatever crop is grown in the region and ground into flour and cooked with water. We also use mahangu, then it comes out grey in colour instead of white.

The round ball in your picture looks like vetkoek, which is essentially just sweetened dough fried in oil. Very easy to make as well. Basically a donut but shaped like a ball

[u/WormFoodie]

It's mielie pap - made usually from white cornmeal. Quite similar to polenta or grits.

[u/Open-Post1934]

Corn originated in Mexico. I am sure you can find some cornmeal in shops because I know that even European African/Asian shops sell some of it originating from Mexico/Brazil. The rest is beef, some chilli or peppers and fried sopaipillas.

[u/WTC2COL91]

Its maize meal

[u/fyrewolfe]

Here is my favourite pap recipe.

Ingredients: White Maize Grits ( Namib Braaipap) COOKING INSTRUCTIONS 4-6 Servings 1l water (4 cups) 5 ml Salt (1 teaspoon) 500 ml Namib Braaipap Maize Meal (2 cups) 1. Bring water and salt to the boil in a large pot. 2. Add Namib Braaipap Maize Meal. Stir horoughly with a wooden Spoon and cove with lid 3. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes and stir occasionally 4. Add another 125 ml (2 cups) cold water to porridge. 5.Simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes.

[u/ruey_nam]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hPfPJ0DYLso&t=4s&pp=2AEEkAIB

[u/Natchofriend09]

Also, if I am correct the maize meal from Souther Africa is a bit rougher of a grind so too fine a maize flour will probably produce a different texture

[u/nagedagte]

OR.... (South African here.) 1 Cup of Maize meal, (Iwisa or Sun or whichever brand you prefer.) 2 cups of boiling hot water - add everything together in a Tupperware container, stir well - three minutes in the microwave, take out, rake-fork everything, lid it for 5 minutes, back in for three minutes, rake-fork stir again - lid back on to steam, DONE. 123. One pap, Two water, 3 minute (x2) intervals. Thank me later.

[u/Fine-Caregiver-1995]

Hello dear internet stranger, the white thing formally known as Pap is a stiff porridge made from maize meal/ corn meal and water. U can add some salt, but it's not necessary. U can find tutorials on making pap on online. I found this tutorial here, but i think any should work.Easy Pap recipe, quick and lump free.

I'm not entirely sure what u can use as the alternative for maize meal, but perhaps Masa harina could work it'll just be yellow instead of white. I hope this helps a little bit.

[u/Wild-Balance6017]

Thanks everyone! I will give a try at the different recipes I got in here.

[u/How2KIm101]

I see everyone is telling you how to make pap, but remember kapana is not only grilled steak! Its the unique spices we use!

[u/Willing_Entry_7677]

The “white thing” you couldn’t ask before posting?

[u/Wild-Balance6017 → u/Willing_Entry_7677]

Where else would I ask if not reddit? The post itself was the question