RECIPE: SADZA

Note from Liz: sadza (pronounced SUD-zuh) is THE staple food in Zimbabwe. It is usually eaten with the hands. Poor families will make a meal of just sadza by itself. If a family can afford a little better food, then it is often served with beef or chicken and boiled greens.

The sadza gets very thick as it cooks. It can be a challenge to stir even a small pot. Imagine making this for 75-100 people at camp!

I found the recipe here and just changed a few things to make it more clear. I have to admit, I’ve only ever made this in Africa with help, so I’m not an expert.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup maize meal (This is finely ground cornmeal. You can use US cornmeal, but the consistency will be a little different than with actual maize meal.)

  • 1½ cups cold water

  • 2 cups hot water

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Add ½ cup maize meal to a bow (set the other ½ cup aside). Mix it with 1½ cups of cold water, to form a smooth, runny paste.

  2. 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. Be careful throughout the process because the boiling mixture can splatter hot paste and cause burns. This is more of a problem as it gets thicker.

  3. Slowly add the hot water, stirring continuously to prevent the sadza from forming lumps.

  4. Keep stirring until it starts to bubble.

  5. 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 cold water, similar to the first step above, and stir it in. If too thick then add some more hot water.

  6. Stir in the remaining ½ cup of 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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 or chicken.