Hello, friends! This week, we’ll be learning all about some of the foods people eat here in Lesotho. I got a good taste of the traditional foods during my Peace Corps training because my host family cooked all my meals for me. Basotho people (what citizens of Lesotho are called) have to be very resourceful when it comes to food because it can be hard to grow crops in the mountains. Due to this, there’s not a lot of variety, and the food is generally pretty simple, but I don’t mind. A balanced meal will contain some combination of a grain, vegetable and source of protein.
The first meal my host mother gave me was papa and moroho ("mer-oh-ho") with boiled eggs. Papa is made from ground cornmeal and is like a thicker, stiffer version of grits. My students eat papa as part of their school lunch four to five times a week! I’d say the flavor is similar to plain white rice. When I eat it now, I like to add seasonings like salt, pepper and garlic salt, but most Basotho eat it plain. Moroho refers to greens (such as spinach, cabbage, etc.) that have been cooked in a certain way. They remind me of collard greens from home, but they're much saltier!
