Mealie Bread (South African Corn Bread)
A moist South African corn bread made with fresh corn kernels, cornmeal, sour cream and basil.
Ingredients
| 2-3 ears | fresh corn (about 2 cups corn) | |
| 1 cup (130 g) | all-purpose flour | |
| 3/4 cup (95 g) | corn meal | |
| 2 teaspoons | 10 ml | baking powder |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | baking soda |
| 2-3 tablespoons | 30–45 ml | sugar |
| 3/4 teaspoon | 3.8 ml | salt |
| 1/2 cup (115 g) | sour cream | |
| 1/2 cup (120 ml) | milk | |
| 2 | large eggs | |
| 2 teaspoons | 10 ml | fresh basil, chopped |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | smoked paprika (optional) |
| 4 tablespoons (57 g) | unsalted butter, melted |
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch cake pan and set aside.
- Remove the husk from the corn and, using a sharp knife, cut the kernels from the cob from top to bottom, gathering the kernels with their juices in a large bowl. Use the back of a knife to scrape the residual corn from the cobs. Repeat with the remaining corn.
- Using a food processor or blender, pulse the corn without water until coarsely ground. You do not want to puree the corn.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, smoked paprika and salt.
- Whisk in the sour cream, milk and lightly beaten eggs until well combined.
- Then add the corn mixture, melted butter and basil. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. If there is any leftover corn, place it on top of the cake batter.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.