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Sadza Recipes | Isitshwala | Mielie Pap | Nshima | Ugali

Sadza has many names throughout Africa, the shona name for Zimbabwe's staple food is Sadza, the Ndebele word for it is isitshwala, in South Africa it is known as Mielie Pap, in Zambia they call it Nshima, in Eastern Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) the name for sadza is Ugali and in Malawai it is called Sima. Along with all the different names for it, there are also many variations on how to cook it and what is the best way to eat it. What I hope to do in this document is to list some of the more common ways to make and eat this wonderful food. Hint: many of these recipes are also perfect for the braai or barbeque.

Sadza or Mielie Pap with chicken, African Food

Zimbabwe Sadza neHuku

Zimbabwe's Sadza is always eaten with meat or a vegetable relish.

Sadza neHuku = Sadza and Chicken
Sadza neNyama = Sadza and Meat (red)
Sadza neBeans = Sadza and beans
Sadza neMatemba = Sadza and Kapenta
Sadza is also eaten with mopane worms

How to Cook Sadza | Krummelpap

Sadza, Isitshwala or Pap Ingredients, To make traditional Zimbabwean Sadza (isitshwala) you will need:

2 - 4 cups white mielie meal / cornmeal / maze meal.
water

To make the Sadza (isitshwala):

First boil about 4 cups of the water in a pot.

Set aside about 1/4 of your mielie meal and mix the rest with about 3 or 4 cups of water to make a thick paste - make sure you have a strong arm and wooden spoon!

Then slowly add this paste to the boiling water, stirring all the time, this will prevent lumps from forming and bring to the boil again, dont talk too much with your friends around the braai or it will stick and burn the bottom of the pot! Keep cooking and stiring for a few more minutes.

Then slowly add the remaining mielie meal to the pot. The sadza should be very thick and smooth, it should then begin to pull away from the sides of the pot and form a large ball. Cook for a few minutes more.

Thats it, then transfer it to a bowl and serve your sadza (isitshwala or pap) with relish or meat (nyama)

Sadza (pap in South Africa)

Sadza (pap) along with a good relish (see the Chakalaka Recipe) is a must for a genuine braai. Not only does it full up the kids cheaply but tastes great aswell! The only other dish that I can think of that comes close to it for the use as a side dish at a braai would be pototo salad. Ngwere Ngwere sadza, mushe, mushe sadza, ngwere-ngwere SADZA!! » Buy Sadza Here >>

Krummelpap

Krummelpap is on of the South African methods of cooking pap (Sadza). It is more crumbly (krummel) that normal pap or sadza. It is traditionally eaten for breakfast, with milk, butter, and sugar. It can also be eaten at dinner and served with Gravy and you will often find krummelpap at a "real" South African braai. I would describe krummelpap being somewhere near polenta and couscous.

Krummelpap Ingredients
To make krummelpap, you will need:

750 ml (3 cups) water
10 ml (2 ts) salt
600 g (4 cups) mealie meal (you can also find pap these days)

How to cook Krummelpap:
Poor the water in a pot or potjie. Then pour in the mealie meal to form a cone like pile in the center of the potjie. Do not stir the pot yet, but reduce the heat and add some salt, put the lid on potjie and let pap simmer for about five minutes, until a skin forms.

Once a skin has formed, stir the pap with a fork until it is fine and crumbly. Cover the poitjie again and let pap simmer for about another 45mins.