Isinkwa sommbila (mielie bread)

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Isinkwa sommbila, I think my mum has only made it once but the taste and the smell lives on in my head. Lately I have been trying to replicate it, but I haven’t really got there yet. This recipe is a close second.

Ingredients

500 g white bread flour
1 T salt
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
2 T sugar
10 g yeast
2 T butter, melted
150 g maize meal
1 whole mielie (or 2 sweetcorn cobs), kernels pulsed until just combined but chunky

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix the flour and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the water, sugar and yeast. Cover and set aside until the yeast starts to rise, about 15 minutes.
2. Once the yeast has started to rise, whisk in the melted butter and slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until a stiff dough starts to form.
3. Knead for 8–10 minutes, until smooth. Place the dough in a greased heatproof bowl, then allow to rise until it has doubled in size.
4. Knock down the dough and return to the greased bowl. Allow to rise until it has doubled in size again.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C Shape the dough as desired and bake for 20 minutes or until it sounds hollow when knocked at the base.

Find more South African recipes here.

Photograph: Toby Murphy
Styling: Khanya Mzongwana