Mageu with strawberry coulis

1. To make the coulis, place all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a light boil until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and blend. Set aside to cool and store in the fridge.

2. To make the mageu, place the maize meal in a deep saucepan with half the water. Place a lid on the pan and set it aside in a warm place to ferment for at least 3 days (add an extra day or two if you’d like a really sour final product). Stir the mixture every now and then over the 3 days.

3. Once fermented, place the saucepan on the stove over a low heat and stir with a whisk or wooden spoon until the mixture becomes a soft and watery porridge, about 30 minutes. Add the remaining water and mix well to remove any lumps.

4. Stir the coulis into the mixture and leave it to cool at room temperature. Once cooled, check the consistency, it should resemble a thick drinking yoghurt, pourable but not too runny. You can add some milk or cream to give it a creamy twist. Store in the fridge. It’s best served cold.

Find more South African recipes here. 

Photograph: Andrea van der Spuy
Production: Bianca Strydom
Food assistant: Irinja Bekker