In brief
- Pap en vleis: firm cornmeal (pap) served with meat grilled on the braai and a tomato and onion sauce.
- Origin: South Africa, the Afrikaans culture of the braai, a barbecue shared outdoors.
- Key ingredients: corn flour, boerewors or beef, onion, tomato, sugar, soy sauce.
- A Sunday dish for big occasions, shared with family or friends around the fire.
Origins and cultural history of pap en vleis
Pap en vleis simply means “pap and meat” in Afrikaans: it is not a single dish but the name given, across South Africa, to the pairing of pap, a cornmeal or corn flour cooked in water until firm, with meat grilled on the braai, the South African barbecue. The braai holds a central place in the country’s social life, across all communities, and the meat most associated with this moment is boerewors, a fresh beef and sometimes pork sausage, spiced with coriander and pepper.
Pap is traditionally eaten with the fingers, in small balls, to scoop up the sauce or meat juices. The sauce that accompanies the boerewors changes name and recipe from one family to another: it is called sheba or sous, a sweet and savoury onion and tomato stew, and some prefer it with monkey gland sauce, a mix of chutney and ketchup born in the restaurants of Johannesburg in the 1930s.
What are the key ingredients of pap en vleis
The dish combines a firm cornmeal, grilled meat and a spiced tomato and onion sauce.
- corn flour (cornmeal, mielie meal)
- boerewors or beef steak
- onion
- tomato and tomato sauce
- garlic
- sugar
What to know about pap en vleis
Pap en vleis means "pap and meat" in Afrikaans: it pairs pap, a maize meal cooked in water until firm, with meat grilled on the braai, most often boerewors, a fresh beef sausage spiced with coriander and pepper. A sweet and savory sauce of onion and tomato, called sheba, goes with it. A dish for Sundays and big occasions, it is traditionally eaten with the fingers: a ball of pap is used to scoop up the sauce or the meat juices.
Frequently asked questions about pap en vleis
Is pap en vleis always made with boerewors?
No. Boerewors is the meat most associated with the South African braai, but pap en vleis is also made with a beef steak, lamb chops or chicken, simply grilled. The principle stays the same: grilled meat served with pap.
What is the sheba sauce in pap en vleis?
It is a sweet and savoury onion and tomato stew that traditionally accompanies boerewors and pap. Its recipe varies from one family to another: some add grated apple and soy sauce, others white wine and Worcestershire sauce. The result stays a spiced tomato sauce, served hot over the pap.
Where to find the ingredients for pap en vleis in France?
NKOSI sells the onion powder and garlic paste needed for the sheba sauce, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
