Basotho (what citizens of Lesotho are called) are very resilient people. The agriculture in Lesotho can be very difficult to grow crops, so Basotho rely on a few staple crops suited to the climate. These include maize (corn) and cabbage. Maize powder is used to make papa, which is a starchy dish. Cabbage is used to make moroho, which is a name for any type of cooked vegetable when it is prepared a certain way. We eat papa and moroho for lunch at school once a week, and it is one of the most common and traditional dishes in Lesotho.
I tried papa and moroho my very first week in Lesotho. I have eaten it frequently since then.
I felt anxious to try it because many people were watching me. In Lesotho, it is considered polite to feed guests. Because I was a foreigner, many people invited me over to their homes to share food with me. Luckily, papa and moroho is very delicious, so I had a nice reaction for my generous cooks!
Papa is cooked in a traditional stone pitsa over a fire. Maize meal is mixed with water and stirred with a special wooden stick until it is a thick, paste-like consistency. Sometimes it is white and sometimes it can be yellow, depending on what type of maize meal is used.
