Pap is a breakfast food for everybody; children, adults, the sick and the healthy. It is one food that can be prepared quickly. Forget it, pap doesn’t need your appetite, it is your last resort when there’s no appetite for food.
Pap is known by the Igbo people as ‘akamu’ while the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria refer to it as ‘ogi.’ It is one of the products of processed maize, which is a major grain. Other grains such as guinea corn and millet can also be used to make pap.
It is a liquid food that comes in different colors, depending on the color of the grain, which may be white, yellow or reddish-brown (millet). Pap can only be made when the grain has been processed by grinding. The paste formed after grinding a mass of grain is used to prepare this meal.
Preparation
Pap can be prepared in two ways. It is either prepared on the ground or on a heat medium such as a stove. In the first method, the quantity of maize paste needed is put into a container (plate/bowl), with a little water used to mix the content while another water is being boiled on a heat medium. Once the water is boiled, it is poured into the content and stirred continuously with a spoon until it is perfect and done.
The second method of preparing pap involves stirring the maize paste in a pot, with water added, on a heat medium. This is done repeatedly until it forms a thick paste. Your pap is now done. This method is quite more efficient for beginners.
Once it is ready, it can be served with milk and sugar. The best combination with pap is bean cake, also known as ‘akara.’ This meal is prepared in homes and is also sold by hawkers on many Nigerian streets and junctions as breakfast. It supplies energy (carbohydrate) needed for the day’s activities. Pap, a meal for infants, is also a food for those who are unable to eat as a result of sickness. It is also for those who need to put something in their stomach for the day’s activities. It is just food for all manner of people.
Enjoy your pap and stay active for the day. Bon appetit!
