A Woman’s Unexpected Take on Vegetable Pap Leaves Mzansi Divided

• A woman's Facebook video of her unusual twist on a traditional staple has sparked strong reactions across Mzansi
• The viral clip features her adding cooking oil and leafy greens to her pap in a bid to make it healthier
• Mzansi netizens have highlighted the significant role of maintaining and protecting traditional culinary practices

A woman's unconventional pap recipe, featuring spinach and oil for a "healthier" twist, has ignited an outcry online in Mzansi.

Welcome to social media, where culinary creativity and culinary traditions often create heated tensions. One Facebook video has recently stirred the minds of everyone in Mzansi. Happy Ness, A food vlogger's video demonstrating how to prepare pap, a South African staple, went viral on Facebook.

After bringing her water to a boil and pouring the maize meal in, Happy Ness began to add a more unusual ingredient, spinach, into her pap. As if that didn't upset people enough, she also poured in some cooking oil, explaining that she thinks that this method of preparation is healthier than the traditional method.

Watch the Facebook video here:

Pap's cultural significance

The debate wasn't just about taste or preference; it was also about the cultural significance of food. For many South Africans, pap is not simply a dish; it embodies tradition, comfort, and identity. Pap is the basis of many family meals and gatherings, and it inspires memories and belonging for those who eat it. To introduce international influences, especially ones that completely change the appearance and texture of pap, didn't sit quite well with many netizens.

Mzansi reacts to the video

Haji White Chinteledye wrote:

"You cook rubbish, my dear."

Koketjo Semenya shared:

"Pap is going through the most this year. 😩🥹"

Queen P Sebotsa added:

"The person who told you that you can cook is the problem here."

Legodi Maphuti advised:

"Don't you ever do that again, jereerr."

Amogelang Molomo asked:

"Let’s be honest, you threw that away after filming akere?👀"

Tumi Seemela added:

"I remember cooking this nonsense while I was a kid playing playhouse. And yet we couldn't swallow it, my fake husband kicked me out of the house."

Monje S. Sichilongo commented:

"I will send you special bimalu pots from Zambia so that you don't make such a mess cooking your pap."

Mosebjadi Mo advised:

"How to make vegetable pap. Step 1. Don’t."

Joey Tanae commented:

"I don’t usually comment on these videos, but mmm this is rubbish, morogo, what musadza imi?"

Mfundo Dlamini Sibah said:

"This is almost similar to what we call isigwamba, the only difference is that we start by boiling morogo, then add maize meal, no cooking oil, just salt."

Lerato Msipa highlighted:

"You and @prominent cook nonsense."

Pinky Pinky requested:

"Please block me, I am tired of seeing ur cooking and I don't want to continue saying negative things. Please."

3 Briefly News stories about pap with a twist

• A creative mlungu took pap to the next level, turning it into a mouth-watering dish by adding a thick gravy and other goodies before baking it to perfection.
• A Mzansi man claimed that Tsonga people invented a new, proudly South African dish known as ice cream pap, and left Mzansi in stitches.
• A new recipe for alcoholic pap left many South Africans confused and unhappy after seeing how some people add gin to their pap.

Source: Briefly News