Pap and chops
In the #NaqiyahWinter Series, I unpack some of our conscious comfort-eating foods. I use the word ‘conscious’, because comfort food always has that bad rep of being associated to ’emotional-eating’.
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Psychologically, warmer foods during the cooler months tend to feel nourishing. My children rarely look for an after-dinner snack if they’ve had a hot, carby meal, especially if it’s one of their favourites.
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I didn’t quite learn how to cook pap. Mama Lucy would always shake her head when she watched me cook it. I’d reach for my beater and glance at her like a ‘lazy Makoti’. I cooked smooth, soft, fluffy pap every-single-time.
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CHOPS
In a large pot, add a quarter cup of oil.
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To this add:
- Half a tsp whole cumin seeds
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 whole clove
- Half a star anise
- 1 piece of cinnamon stick (1cm x 2cm)
Allow this to pop for 2 minutes. Add in 1 large onion that has been cut into chunks.
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The onion should not brown. Allow this to cook for 3 minutes on a medium heat.
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Add in 1kg of washed and drained lamb chops. Stir well, coating it in the oil.
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Add the following to the chops and allow it to cook on a low heat for 30 minutes.
- 1 tbsp ground garlic
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 heaped tbsp @robertsonsspice
Instructions
Steak and Chops spice
- 1 tbsp @sujees_gourmet_foods Chops and Steak masala
- 1 heaped tsp red ginger and garlic masala
- Quarter tsp black pepper
- 2 green chillies
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 heaped tsp cumin powder
- 1 heaped tsp coriander powder
- Half a tsp chilli powder
- Half a tsp tumeric
The gravy should coat the chops well but not be runny.
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After the 30 minutes of cooking, add 2 cubed tomato and leave for a further 20 minutes to soften.
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Finally garnish with chopped coriander.
You can eat this with roti, or buttered bread but for this Winter cooking series, we’ve eaten it with pap.
