Mielie-meal
Mealie-meal is a relatively coarse flour (much coarser than cornflour or cornstarch) made from maize which is known as mielies or mealies in southern Africa, from the Portuguese milho. The Portuguese had originally brought corn from the Americas to Africa.
It is a food that was originally eaten by the Voortrekkers during The Great Trek, but has become the staple diet of Black Africans, because of its ability to be stored without refrigeration, it is cheap and abundant in all shops and markets. It is a staple food in South Africa,Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana and many other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, traditionally made into uphuthu, sour-milk porridge, pap, and also Umqombothi (a type of beer).
The raw ingredient of mealie-meal is added to boiling water, the ratio of which produces either porridge or the firmer pap/nshima/sadza. When making porridge milk it is sometimes used to produce a creamier dish, the porridge usually has a thick texture and is commonly eaten for breakfast in Southern Africa. The firmer pap is eaten with the hands with meat and gravy dishes as well as vegetable relishes. It is similar to Italian polenta or American grits except that it is usually made of a white rather than a yellow maize variety.
Podcasts:
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by Irving Berlin
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by MELEE
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by Tata Young
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by Marlene Kuntz
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by Bebe
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by Maleh
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by Mylah
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by Bhupen Hazarika
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by Rafaqat Ali Khan
Molly O! Oh, Molly!
by: Irving Berlin[1st verse:]
Mike O'Toole, on a stool
Sat one Sunday morning fair
Molly O, pure as snow
Happened to be passing there
She smiled and said, 'I see you're all alone'
Listen to some blarney Michael brought from home
'Maiden sweet, half my seat
You can have, sweet Molly O
Faith I'm glad that your dad
Wed your mother years ago
They never thought their girl and Mike O'Toole
Would sit and talk upon the same old stool
[Refrain:]
Molly O, oh, Molly, I adore you
And I've got the spot, a regular house and lot
There's a great big future, dear, before you
I hate to be talking about myself
But when it comes to being father
I'm as gentle as could be
You don't say no, so now is me time to go
Consider yourself engaged to me
Good morning, Molly
[2nd verse:]
Molly sighed, then she cried
'Don't you think you'd rather stay?'
Michael winked, said, 'I think
This will be a lovely day'
They sat for hours on the same old stool
Spooning like the teacher never taught at school
Michael read from his head
Seven chapters of a book
Ev'ry line meant a fine
Irish kiss that Michael took
At three A.M. beneath the smiling moon
The milkman heard him sing the same old tune