Mangu

maputi

Next Dish: Holubtsi

Maputi is a popular snack in Zimbabwe, similar to popcorn. It is made by popping white maize kernels in a pot or a special popping machine. The snack is often seasoned with salt or sugar for flavor. Maputi is commonly sold by street vendors and is a favorite during cinema viewings, much like popcorn in other countries.

corn kernels

oil

salt

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of dried corn kernels

  • 1 tablespoon of oil

  • Salt to taste


Instructions:

  1. Rinse the dried corn kernels thoroughly under running water.

  2. Place the rinsed corn kernels in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover the kernels.

  3. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let the kernels simmer until they are soft and have doubled in size. This should take about 2 hours. Make sure to add more water if needed.

  4. Once the kernels are soft, drain the water and spread the kernels out on a flat surface to dry. This should take about 1-2 days depending on the humidity in your area.

  5. After the kernels have dried, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.

  6. Add the dried kernels to the pan and stir constantly to prevent them from burning.

  7. The kernels will start to pop after a few minutes. Keep stirring until most of the kernels have popped.

  8. Remove the pan from the heat and let the popped corn cool down.

  9. Add salt to taste and serve.