SADZA
Make the best sadza! Smooth, delicious, and easy to make, this recipe is great for beginners and experts alike, and perfect for you to serve alongside your favourite relish or dishes!WHAT IS SADZA?Sadza is a Shona name that refers to a Zimbabwean porridge-like dish made by cooking maize meal (cornmeal) in hot water, until it forms a stiff, dough-like consistency. Other flours such as sorghum, millet, and cassava flour can be used to make it. It is a staple that is not only popular in Zimbabwe, but in other parts of Africa as well, where it goes by different names such as pap in South Africa, and Nsima in Malawi.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Maize meal
- 2 Cups Hot Water
- 1½ Cup Cold/room temperature water
Instructions
- Add ½ cup maize meal to a bowl. Mix it with 1½ cups of cold / room temperature water, to form a smooth, runny paste.
- Transfer the contents from the bowl to a small pot and set it on the stove at high heat. Keep stirring until it starts boiling. Next, slowly add the hot water, stirring continuously to prevent the sadza from forming lumps.
- Keep stirring until it starts to bubble. Cautiously cover the pot, reduce the heat to a medium-low, and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. The consistency should resemble porridge at this point. If it is too thin, simply make a little slurry in a small cup, comprising a few tablespoons of maize meal and hot water, similar to the first step above, and stir it in. If too thick then add some more hot water.
- Stir in the maize meal, a little at a time, making sure it is well mixed in, before adding some more. This helps prevent lumps. The sadza will continue thickening as it cooks.
- Continue stirring, for about 5 minutes. This is very important as it helps give the sadza a smooth texture. Cover, and allow it to cook on low for a further 15 minutes. Once this time is over, uncover the pot and stir again for 1-2 minutes.
- Once cooked, use your wooden spoon to gather the sadza into one mass. Use your wooden spoon to form it into round balls, on a plate. Shape as preferred, and serve it hot, with some beef stew, kapenta, or your favourite relish.
Notes
- Super refined or precooked mealie meal requires a shorter time to cook, so reduce the cooking time by half if using the precooked varieties.
- For food safety, be careful when cooking, as sadza tends to splutter out during the boiling stage.
- If you notice that the porridge seems too thin during the boiling stage before you start adding maize meal, simply make a little slurry in a small cup, comprising a few tablespoons of maize meal and hot water, and stir it in. If too thick then add some more hot water.
- Always add your maize meal, a little at a time, while continuously stirring, to avoid getting lumps.