In the spotlight this month is CAMFED’s Transition Program in Zambia. This program supports young women when they transition out of school by providing them with the skills, knowledge, and resources to establish a livelihood.

Zambian cuisine is built around a few historical staples, of which maize (corn) reigns supreme. Traditional preparation methods involve boiling, steaming food in banana or corn husks, roasting in a fire, or baking in ashes. This recipe highlights the use of a staple with a slightly modern take on the cooking method. Mealie bread is a cornbread (mealie = corn) made using corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen) that is found in culinary traditions in many parts of Africa and the Caribbean. However, the Zambian version has some savory notes that come from the incorporation of chili peppers that are roasted or charred. While birdseye chilies are traditional (and what I chose to incorporate), milder peppers such as jalapeño or poblano can also be used. The mealie bread is moist, flavorful, and delicious, especially when served hot/warm with butter.

Blackened Chili Mealie Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups corn kernels, taken off the cob (or 1 pound of frozen corn kernels)
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
4 tablespoons butter
2 birdseye chili peppers (or jalapeño or 1 poblano pepper if seeking less “heat”)
Butter for greasing baking dish

Equipment:
Mixing bowl
Blender
8*8 baking dish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Add all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Set aside 1 cup of corn.

Char the jalapeño or poblano pepper over the flame. Peel the charred skin and finely dice the peppers.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the 3 cups of corn, the melted butter, and eggs to the blender and blend until smooth. Now add the last cup of corn and pulse to chop the corn kernels just a tad so there are small pieces of corn to add some texture to the mealie bread. Pour the blended wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add the diced charred jalapeño and mix.

Grease the baking pan. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve hot/warm with butter.

Recipe and photo credit: Vinola V. Munyon