Nshima
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The Tale of Nshima
Nshima, Zambia's maize-meal staple, relies on maize introduced by Portuguese traders from the Americas in the 16th and 17th centuries. It gradually displaced older staples like sorghum and millet over the following centuries to become the anchor of the modern Zambian plate.
Ingredients
Scale:· 4 servings
- 2 cups white maize meal
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp extra maize meal for adjusting texture
- vegetable relish to serve
- meat or fish stew to serve
Instructions
- 1Bring 3 cups of the water to a boil in a heavy pot with a pinch of salt.
- 2Mix the remaining 1 cup of water with about a third of the maize meal to form a smooth paste.
- 3Stir the paste into the boiling water and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until it thickens slightly.
- 4Gradually add the remaining maize meal, stirring vigorously and continuously to avoid lumps, until the mixture becomes very thick and stiff, about 15-20 minutes, using a strong wooden spoon (mwiko).
- 5Continue stirring and folding until the nshima pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pot and has a smooth, dough-like consistency.
- 6Wet a serving plate or bowl and turn the hot nshima out, shaping it into a smooth mound with a wet spoon.
- 7Serve hot alongside a vegetable relish and meat or fish stew.
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