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 Mielie meal paste served with syrup as a breakfast dish | |
| Alternative names | Maize meal/Bota |
|---|---|
| Type | Flour; staple food |
| Course | Any, often breakfast |
| Place of origin | Southern Africa |
| Main ingredients | Maize |
| Similar dishes | Cornmeal |
Mielie meal, also known as mealie meal or maize meal, is a relatively coarse flour (much coarser than cornflour or cornstarch) made from maize[1] or mealies in Southern Africa. It was originally brought to Africa from the Americas by the Portuguese.[2] Its etymology is uncertain, and may be from the Portuguese milho, or the Afrikaans mielie, from obsolete Dutch milie ("millet, maize"). It is also known by various other indigenous language names depending on the locality or country.
It is a food that was originally eaten by the Voortrekkers during The Great Trek,[citation needed] but has become the staple diet of most Southern African countries. 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,[3] Namibia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana and many other parts of Southern Africa, traditionally made into uphuthu, Unga (Nshima), sour-milk porridge, pap, munkoyo, and also umqombothi and Chibwantu (types of beer).