I had also learned that sharing food with family and friends is a big part of Basotho culture, so I didn't want to offend my new host mother by not liking her food. However, I overcame my fear and really enjoyed the meal! Even after I was full, my host mom kept putting more food on my plate to show her love.
Food in Lesotho is traditionally cooked outside over a fire in big pots called lipitsa ("dee-peet-sa"). However, many people also have gas stoves in their homes that they use to cook if they don't want to go outside. Papa is made by boiling water in a pitsa and then slowly adding the cornmeal. People use a big wooden spoon or stick, called a lesokoana ("lay-soh-koh-ah-na"), to stir the papa until it absorbs all the water and becomes nice and fluffy. It's very easy to make in large batches and stays fresh for a long time, so I can see why it is such a staple, or main food, for Basotho!
Lesotho does not have many big grocery stores, so most families grow a lot of their food in their gardens or buy it from their neighbors. My host family grows their own spinach, cabbage (for making moroho), potatoes, corn, tomatoes, green beans and peaches. They also have chickens that lay fresh eggs, as well as sheep and pigs for meat on special occasions.
