Nshima (Nsima, Shima, Sima) is Zambia's Fufu-like staple, very similar to the Sadza of Zimbabwe and the Ugali of Kenya. It is usually made from maize (corn), but can also be prepared from flour or meal ground from other grains (millet, sorghum) or cassava tuber.
Nshima is always eaten with a soup or stew or sauce, which is called the ndiwo. The combination of nshima and ndiwo is the only thing that most Zambians call a real meal. The ndiwo is sometimes called the "relish", but it is more than that: the ndiwo is to the nshima what the meat is to the potatoes. One common ndiwo is a greens and peanut dish called Ifisashi. Other ndiwo dishes are made from various sorts of fish, meat, beans, or peas. victoria falls
What you need
* four to six cups cornmeal, corn flour, or ground maize (one cup per serving is sufficient) * water
What you do
* Pour cold water (two and 1/2 cups for each cup of cornmeal) into a large pot. Over high heat, begin to bring to a boil. * After a few minutes, when the water is warm, slowly add the about half the cornmeal to the water one spoonful at a time, stirring continuously with a sturdy wooden spoon. Continue cooking (and stirring) until the mixture begins to boil and bubble. Reduce heat to medium and cook for a few minutes. * Cooking the mixture over medium heat, add the remaining cornmeal, as before, sprinkling it spoonful by spoonful as you continue to stir. It is essential to keep stirring -- if making a large quantity, it may take one person to hold the pot and another to use two hands to stir. The nshima should be very thick (no liquid remaining) and smooth (no lumps). It may reach this point before all of the remaining cornmeal is added to the pot -- or it may be necessary to add even more cornmeal than this recipe indicates. Once the desired consistency is reached, turn off heat, cover the pot, and allow the nshima to stand for a few minutes before serving. Serve nshima immediately, hot, with the ndiwo of your choice. With clean hands, tear bits of nshima off and use them to scoop up the ndiwo.
Sadza is Zimbabwe's version of the stiff porridge or dumpling common all over sub-Saharan Africa; a Fufu-like staple usually made from ground maize (corn), as is Zambia's Nshima or Eastern Africa's Ugali. Sadza is always eaten with a meat or vegetable soup or stew or sauce. In Zimbabwe, the word sadza itself is practically synonemous with lunch or supper; having sadza implies having a vegetable or meat dish to accompany it. cotton field in malawi
What you need
* four to six cups corn flour, white cornmeal or ground maize -- or -- millet flour * water
What you do
* In a large pot, bring four cups of water to a boil. * Remove about a quarter of the corn flour and set it aside. Place the remaining corn flour in a large bowl. Mix the corn flour with four cups of cold water. Stir until the flour-water mixture is a thick paste. (You will need both a strong arm and a strong wooden spoon!) * Slowly add the flour-water paste to the boiling water, stirring constantly. Bring to a second boil, stirring constantly while the mixture thickens. Do not allow lumps to form and do not allow it to stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook and stir for a few minutes. * Slowly add the remaining flour. The mixture should be very thick and smooth, like extra-thick mashed potatoes. At this point the sadza should begin to pull away from the sides of the pot and form a large ball. Cook for a few minutes more. * Transfer the sadza to a large bowl. With wet hands, form the sadaz into one large ball (to serve family-style) or serving sized-portions. Serve immediately with any soup or stew. To eat sadza: use your right hand to grab a bite-sized lump, form it into a ball, and dip it into the soup or stew.
Maize is Zimbabwe's number one agricultural crop. Sadaza is most often made from ground maize (corn), and this has been the case for a century or more. However, maize is native to the Americas, and did not arrive in Africa until after the time of Columbus. Before maize arrived in Zimbabwe, sadza was made from various type of millet native to Africa. To make sadza, use finely ground corn flour, or millet flour. Farina or cream of wheat might also serve as a substitute.
Banku and Kenkey are two more Fufu-like staples from Western Africa, served with a soup or stew or sauce. They are particularly popular in Ghana. Both are usually made from ground corn (maize), as are Sadza and Ugali, though Banku can also be made from a mixture of maize and grated Cassava tuber. Unlike Ugali, making Banku or Kenkey involves letting the maize (or maize and cassava tuber) ferment before cooking, as is done with cassava tubers when they are made into Baton de Manioc. Banku is cooked in a pot; Kenkey is partially cooked, then wrapped in banana leaves, maize or corn husks, or foil, and steamed.
What you need
six to eight cups of corn (maize) flour or cornmeal (ground corn or ground maize); (White cornmeal is preferred, it should be finely ground, like flour. Latin American style corn flour, as is used in tortillas, tamales, pupusas, etc. is the right kind); for Banku only: a similar amount of equal parts corn flour and grated cassava tuber may be substituted
for Kenkey only: banana leaves, or maize or corn husks, or aluminum foil to wrap dough in (the leaves or husks may be available at African, Asian, or Latino groceries)
What you do
Prepare the fermented cornmeal dough: Traditional Method: In a large container combine the corn flour (or corn flour and grated cassava) with just enough warm water to dampen all of it. Mix well. Cover the container with a clean cloth. Set it in a warm place, such as a warmed oven or on top of the refrigerator, for two to three days. Fermentation may take longer than two days, especially in cool climates. (Note: a warmed oven is an oven that has been heated for a few minutes then turned off. The flour should ferment, not cook.) When it is properly fermented, it should have a slightly sour, but not unpleasant, aroma -- like rising bread dough. Overly fermented corn flour will not taste right. Alternate method: Prepare the corn flour as described above, and let it ferment for about six hours. Then mix one tablespoon of vinegar into the wet corn flour. Once the fermented dough is ready, prepare Banku or Kenkey according to the following methods.
To prepare Banku:
Knead the fermented dough with your hands until it is thoroughly mixed and slightly stiffened.
In a large pot, bring one cup of water to a boil. Slowly add the fermented dough. Cook for twenty minutes or more, stirring constantly and vigorously. The banku should become thick and stiff. Add water as necessary, if it becomes too dry. Form the banku into serving-sized balls (about the size of a tennis ball). May be served hot or cool (room-temperature).
To prepare Kenkey:
Knead the fermented dough with your hands until it is thoroughly mixed and slightly stiffened. Divide the dough into two equal parts.
In a large pot, bring one cup of water to a boil. Slowly add one part of the fermented dough. Cook for about ten minutes, stirring constantly and vigorously. Remove from heat. This half of the dough is called the "aflata".
Combine the aflata with the remaining uncooked dough. Mix well.
Divide the aflata-dough mixture into serving-sized pieces. Wrap the pieces tightly in banana leaf, maize or corn husks, or foil. Banana leaves are more flexible if they have been briefly warmed in a hot oven or a pot of boiling water. The wrapped dough should look like burritos or tamales. Cooking string can be used to tie the wrapping closed.
Place the wrapped dough packets on a wire rack above water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and steam for one to three hours, depending on their size and thickness. Serve room-temperature.
Serve banku or kenkey with Palaver 'Sauce', or any fish, fowl, or meat dish from Western Africa.
Note: ready-to-use fermented cornmeal dough made especially for banku and kenkey may be available at African import grocery stores and should be prepared according to package instructions.
Fufu (Foo-foo, Foufou, Foutou, fu fu) is to Western and Central Africa cooking what mashed potatoes are to traditional European-American cooking. There are Fufu-like staples all over Sub-Saharan Africa: i.e., Eastern Africa's Ugali and Southern Africa's Sadza (which are usually made from ground corn (maize), though West Africans use maize to make Banku and Kenkey, and sometimes use maize to make Fufu). Fufu is a starchy accompaniment for stews or other dishes with sauce. To eat fufu: use your right hand to tear off a bite-sized piece of the fufu, shape it into a ball, make an indentation in it, and use it to scoop up the soup or stew or sauce, or whatever you're eating.
In Western Africa, Fufu is usually made from yams, sometimes combined with plantains. In Central Africa, Fufu is often made from cassava tubers, like Baton de Manioc. Other fufu-like foods, Liberia's dumboy for example, are made from cassava flour. Fufu can also be made from semolina, rice, or even instant potato flakes or Bisquick. All over Africa, making fufu involves boiling, pounding, and vigorous stirring until the fufu is thick and smooth.
What you need
two to four pounds of yams (use large, white or yellow yams; not sweet potatoes, not "Louisiana yams"); or equal parts yams and plantain bananas
one teaspoon butter (optional)
What you do
Place yams in large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until the yams are soft (maybe half an hour). Remove pot from heat and cool yams with running water. Drain. Remove peels from yams. Add butter. Put yams in a bowl (or back in the empty pot) and mash with a potato masher, then beat and stir with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. This might take two people: one to hold the bowl and the other to stir.
Shape the fufu into balls and serve immediately with meat stew or any dish with a sauce or gravy. To eat it, tear off a small handful with your fingers and use it to scoop up your meat and sauce.
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