SOUR PORRIDGE

This Recipe Makes ±400 Milliliters

In the Indian community, most Tamil South Africans make this Sour Porridge for the Mariamman prayer (porridge prayer). Sour Porridge is basically a gruel prepared from fermented maize meal (mealie meal). It is not to be confused with other traditional African fermented drinks like mahewu, incwancwa or imbila – as these drinks contain sorghum.

This porridge was a source of nourishment for many of our forefathers (Indentured Indians) in South Africa, who once worked in the cane fields of KwaZulu-Natal.

Sour Porridge Ingredients:

• 136 grams (1 cup) maize meal
• 500 ml (2 cups) water for soaking
• 1 liter (4 cups) water for boiling + additional for weakening
• salt to taste
• ¼ cup maas (sour milk)
• fresh shallots/spring onions

Method:

1. 1. Add the maize meal to a sealable container.
   2. 
   3. Pour in 500 ml (2 cups) of water.
   4. 
   5. Close the container with the lid.
   6. 
   7. Set this container directly under the sun (if possible) during the day, for up to 3 days. Move it to a dark space, preferably a kitchen cupboard at night. If there isn’t any sunlight, it will also store well in a kitchen cupboard for this fermenting process. The longer it’s stored, the more sour it gets & improves in flavour, so it is up to you if you want to allow it to ferment for longer than 3 days.
   8. 
   9. After Day 1 in the sun, it should form a frothy foam on top.
   10. 
   11. By Day 2 the foam should settle down.
   12. 
   13. By Day 3, it should be fermented enough to start the cooking process.
   14. 
   15. Pour out the foamy water.
   16. 
   17. Thereafter, add the 1 liter (4 cups) of water to a pot & salt to taste.
   18. 
   19. Bring the water to a boil on medium-high heat.
   20. 
   21. Add in the soaked maize meal & mix well to avoid any lumps from forming.
   22. 
   23. Allow it to boil on low heat for 15 – 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
   24. 
   25. Once cooked, add in more water to reach your desired consistency. It is traditionally served as a drinking consistency.
   26. 
   27. Remove from heat & pour in the maas (sour milk).
   28. 
   29. Mix well.
   30. 
   31. At this point finely chopped onions may be added as well.
   32. 
   33. Chop shallots/spring onions.
   34. 
   35. Pour in serving glasses & garnish with chopped shallots/spring onions.
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   38. 
   39. This Sour Porridge can be served as is or with a side of curries such as potato curry or puli sadam (sour rice).
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