Sadza (Zimbabwean Corn Porridge)

Sadza is also known as pap, nsima, or ugali in different regions. It's a simple and hearty maize porridge that's often served as a staple food. It’s a popular recipe in Zimbabwe

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups white maize meal (cornmeal or maize flour)
• 1 cup cold water
• Salt to taste

Steps

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the maize meal with the cold water. Stir until you have a smooth, lump-free paste.
3. Once the water in the pot is boiling, gradually add the maize paste into the boiling water while stirring continuously. This is crucial to prevent lumps from forming.
4. Continue stirring the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula. It will start to thicken.
5. After a few minutes of stirring, reduce the heat to low.
6. Cover the pot with a lid and let the sadza simmer on low heat for about 20–30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
7. Add more water or maize meal as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Some prefer a thick, stiff sadza, while others like it softer.
8. Season with salt to taste and continue to cook for another 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Once the sadza has reached your preferred consistency and is cooked through, remove it from the heat. It should be smooth, stiff, and free from any raw taste of maize.

More recipes with cornmeal

Adapted from “Sadza (Zimbabwean Corn Porridge)” in the Wikibooks Cookbook by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Reformatted for this site; this page's recipe text is shared under the same license.