“It Becomes Soft Like a Cookie”: Woolies Shares Isinkwa Sombila Recipe That’s Got SA Impressed

• The Woolworths TASTE team shared a traditional isinkwa sombila recipe prepared by chef Keletso Motau
• The steamed maize bread is made with freshly grated corn kernels wrapped in the very same corn husks
• South Africans got emotional in the comments, with some saying foods once considered poverty meals are now celebrated as fine dining

The Woolworths TASTE team shared a recipe that hit home for many South Africans. The official TikTok account @wwtaste shared the full recipe on 22 May 2025, with chef Keletso Motau preparing isinkwa sombila in a kitchen. The food was described as a nostalgic favourite that reminds people of home.

Isinkwa sombila is a traditional steamed maize bread made with fresh corn. Keletso explained the process of making it:

"You mix it, you roll it, you steam it, you eat it."

He started by removing the corn husks and putting them in water to keep them hydrated for wrapping later. He grated the maize kernels, making sure not to create a fine puree. He explained that the texture needed to stay chunky.

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Keletso mixed the grated corn with flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, melted butter, and water to create a thick batter. He took the corn husks, smeared the filling inside and rolled them up. He warned not to roll the husk too tightly because the bread needs space to expand. He placed the rolled husks in a Woolies steamer basket and let them steam for about an hour to an hour and a half.

Keletso shared his love for maize, remembering how he grew up seeing it sold on the side of the road, steamed, boiled or cooked on hot coals. He explained that isinkwa sombila is basically steamed maize bread made with fresh corn. The dish can be served warm with amasi, greens or favourite stews.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi reacts to isinkwa sombila recipe

Global viewers had emotional and curious reactions to the bread dish, with many asking for more info on the TikTok @wwtaste page:

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@biru asked:

"Wait, guys, is this what Americans are calling corn bread? Or do they make it differently?"

@sifiso_walter_zwane said:

"This is the modernised version, kodwa it reminded me of my gogo. She used to cook isinkwa sombila for us."

@the_velvet_room reflected:

"Everything I grew up knowing as poverty meals is defined as fine food these days. Corn bread, brown bread, brown rice, corn, chicken intestines or feet, pumpkin seeds and leaves. This is the food we ate at home. We were defined as poor."

@username87307uu noticed:

"I feel like Mexicans have something similar to this. So cool to see how different cultures sometimes cook similarly."

@vio_sa compared:

"Aren't these like tamales?"

@thick_madam thanked:

"Thank you for this. I've been asking people for the recipe coz' only my granny knew how to do it ekhaya, and she passed away a long time ago."

@npk shared:

"Our isinkwa sombila needs no buttering. It tastes like a cookie. It becomes soft 'cause we grind it with a stone or blender. Sometimes add margarine."

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Interesting stories on SA food

• Briefly News recently reported on a woman who compared McDonald's and Burger King burgers in a shocking four-month rot test that left people alarmed.
• In another sad story, a young boy was filmed restocking groceries and essentials for a boarding school.
• Mzansi panicked after warnings not to eat certain peanut butter brands following concerns about toxicity and aflatoxin levels surfaced.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News