RecipesSouth African 
Mielies on the Braai
Grilled sweetcorn with spiced paprika-garlic butter — a South African braai must-have.
Ingredients
- 4 ears mielies (sweetcorn)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
- Optional: chilli flakes, fresh herbs, parmesan
Method
- 1
Mix butter, paprika, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- 2
Place mielies directly on braai grid or wrap in foil. Turn every few minutes until charred and tender (15–20 minutes).
- 3
Apply spiced butter generously while hot.
- 4
Top with herbs, chilli flakes, or cheese if desired.
Swaps & variations
- Make peri-peri butter
- Make herbed lemon butter
- Add grated cheese
- Brush with mayo and roll in cheese (Mexican-style SA twist)
Storing & freezing
Best eaten fresh. Cooked mielies keep 2 days refrigerated. Freeze raw kernels for future soups or breads.
Grow it yourself
- Mielies: Plant seeds in blocks for wind pollination; sow spring to early summer; full sun; heavy feeders — add compost; water deeply during tasseling
- Garlic: Plant in winter; keep weed-free
- Lemon: Citrus trees love warmth; feed twice a year; water deeply during dry spells
- Coriander/Parsley: Sow coriander in cool weather; parsley grows all year
- Interplant maize with beans and pumpkin (Three Sisters) to deter pests
- Spray garlic-chilli water to repel caterpillars
- Use mulch to suppress weeds
- Attract ladybirds to manage aphids
- Mielies: Harvest when silks turn brown, kernels full and milky; eat immediately for best sweetness
- Garlic: Harvest when lower leaves dry
- Lemons: Pick fully yellow and heavy
Want meals like this matched to your goals and preferences?
Build my meal planMore recipes to explore
South AfricanSweet Potato Mash with Chilli ButterCreamy mashed sweet potato topped with a punchy chilli-garlic butter.South AfricanLamb PotjiekosA slow-cooked South African outdoor stew — layered lamb, vegetables, and herbs over gentle coals.South AfricanVegetarian Bunny ChowDurban-inspired street food — a hollowed-out bread loaf filled with fragrant vegetable curry.South AfricanGrilled Snoek with Apricot GlazeA West Coast classic — butterflied snoek braai'd with a sweet-tangy apricot glaze.South AfricanSamp & Beans (Umngqusho)A hearty traditional Xhosa dish of cracked maize and sugar beans — comfort food at its finest.South AfricanButternut SoupA velvety South African favourite — roasted butternut blended with warming spices and cream.