South African Pap & Pilchard Sushi

Makes 24

INGREDIENTS

For the pap:

1 cup maize meal

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp salt

For the filling:

1 tin (400g) Lucky Star Pilchards in Tomato Sauce

1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks

½ green pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise

¼ tsp each salt and pepper, to season

For the dipping sauce:

¼ tin (105g) Lucky Star Chakalaka Mild & Spicy

¼ cup mayonnaise

Serving suggestion:

Sesame seeds

METHOD

For the pap:

1. In a medium sized pot, bring 1½ cups of water to a boil. In a bowl, mix the maize meal with 1 cup of water and stir well to form a paste. Gradually add the maize meal paste to the boiling water, whisking continuously. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook over a medium heat for 20-25 minutes. *Chef’s tip: The pap is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pot!

2. Remove the pap from heat, add the butter and salt and stir until it is melted and combined. Allow to cool slightly.

For the filling:

3. Decant the Lucky Star Pilchards in Tomato Sauce from the tin into a microwave-safe bowl. Remove and discard the bones using a fork (optional).

4. Microwave the pilchards for 1-2 minutes until warmed through. Use cold pilchards if preferred and season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. In an oiled pan over medium-high heat, sauté the carrots and green peppers together until slightly soft and caramelised, still maintaining a bite. Set aside.

6. Lay 2 cling wrap layers out on a cleaned and slightly damp counter, approximately 30cm in length. On each layer, leave a 2cm space on the side closest to you, place a fist-sized portion of pap and use your hands to flatten into a square, approximately 0.5cm thick. *Chef’s Tip: Dampen your hands to make the pap easier to handle!

7. Leaving a 1 cm border on the side closest to you, arrange half of the pilchards on one of the flattened pap layers. Lay the carrots and green pepper slices on top of the pilchards.

8. Sandwich the pap layers together, enclosing the pilchards, carrots and green peppers inside.

9. Using a very sharp knife, slice the square into 12-14 even slices. Repeat the process with the remaining pap and pilchards. Arrange the “sushi” bites on a platter and finish them off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

For the dipping sauce:

10. Blend the Lucky Star Chakalaka Mild & Spicy with the mayonnaise until smooth and well-combined. Place it in a dipping bowl, serve alongside the pap bites and ENJOY!

Planning to try this?

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