Pap and Vleis

Ingredients

• 1kg boerewors (or substitute any coarse farmhouse sausage), kept coiled
• 4 lamb chops or 4 thick-cut sirloin steaks
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 2 cups (340g) white or yellow maize meal
• 3 cups (720ml) water, for the pap, plus 1 more cup if it thickens too much
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, for the pap
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil, for the relish
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can chopped tomatoes)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 red chili, chopped, or to taste
• Salt, to taste, for the relish

Before you cook

• Season the sausage and chops or steaks generously with salt and pepper and let them come to room temperature
• Slice the onions thinly
• Chop the tomatoes and dice the green pepper
• Light the braai (or a charcoal/gas grill) and let it burn down to a steady medium-hot heat with glowing coals, about 25-30 minutes

Steps

1. Bring the 3 cups of water to a rolling boil in a heavy pot and stir in the salt
2. Sprinkle in about a third of the maize meal, whisking constantly until it forms a smooth, thin porridge
3. Let that base simmer for 5 minutes, stirring now and then
4. Stir in the rest of the maize meal all at once, mixing hard with a wooden spoon until no dry patches remain
5. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot tightly
6. Let the pap steam undisturbed for 25 minutes, resisting the urge to stir, which turns it gluey
7. Place the boerewors and chops or steaks on the braai grid over the medium-hot coals
8. Grill the meat, turning once halfway through, about 5-6 minutes per side for the sausage and 4-5 minutes per side for the chops or steaks, until well charred and cooked to your liking
9. Move the meat to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes
10. Heat the sunflower oil in a saucepan over medium heat
11. Add the sliced onions and fry for 5 minutes, until soft and starting to turn golden
12. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, green pepper, curry powder, sugar, and chili
13. Simmer the relish for 10 minutes, mashing the tomatoes a little as they soften, until it turns thick and jammy
14. Season the relish with salt to taste
15. Uncover the pap and beat it hard with the wooden spoon for a minute to smooth out any lumps
16. Spoon the stiff pap onto plates, slice the rested meat, and serve both with the tomato-onion relish spooned over the top