Sadza (Zimbabwean Stiff Maize Porridge)
In short: Stiff white maize porridge, rolled into balls by hand and dipped into relish, the daily food of Zimbabwe, made with two ingredients and patience. It takes about 35 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 270 kcal
Sadza is the heart of every Zimbabwean meal, eaten at lunch and dinner with almost anything. White maize meal is stirred into boiling water until it forms a smooth, stiff porridge that holds its shape. Diners pinch off a piece, roll it into a ball, press a dent in it with the thumb and use it to scoop up stew, greens or fish. Good sadza takes strong arms: keep stirring until every lump is gone.
Instructions
- Whisk 60 g (1/2 cup) of the maize meal with 250 ml (1 cup) of cold water in a small bowl until smooth and free of lumps.
- Bring the remaining 750 ml (3 cups) of water and the salt to a boil in a heavy pot. Stir in the maize meal paste and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it becomes a thin, smooth porridge.
- Lower the heat. Add the rest of the maize meal a handful at a time, beating hard with a wooden spoon after each addition so no lumps form. Keep going until you have a thick dough that pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice and pressing the dough against the pot, until it no longer tastes of raw meal.
- Rinse a serving bowl with cold water. Scoop in portions of sadza and shape each into a smooth mound by turning the bowl in your hands, then turn it out onto plates. Serve hot with stew, greens or fish.
Tips
- Use fine white maize meal, sold as mealie meal or roller meal at African grocers. Fine white cornmeal works too, while coarse polenta or yellow cornmeal gives a grainier, sweeter sadza.
- Wet your serving bowl and spoon with cold water before shaping so the sadza slides off easily. If it turns out too stiff, beat in a few spoonfuls of hot water.
Questions and answers
How is sadza different from polenta?
Both are cooked cornmeal, but sadza uses finely milled white maize and is cooked until stiff enough to shape and eat with your hands. Polenta is usually coarser, yellow and creamier.
How do you eat sadza?
Pinch off a small piece with your right hand, roll it into a ball and press a dent in it with your thumb. Use it as a scoop for relish such as greens, bean stew or peanut sauce.
Can I reheat leftover sadza?
Yes. Microwave it with a splash of water until hot, or slice it and pan-fry it in a little oil until crisp. It also makes a filling breakfast with peanut butter.
How long does it take to make Sadza (Zimbabwean Stiff Maize Porridge)?
About 35 min in total: 5 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sadza (Zimbabwean Stiff Maize Porridge)?
About 270 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 58 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 270 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 58 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 290 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
