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Sadza Recipe

Learn how to make Zimbabwe's most popular dish, sadza (pap)! Delicious and easy to make, it is perfect to serve alongside your favourite dishes!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 211 kcal
Course: Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: African

Ingredients

  • 1 cup maize meal (also known as maize flour, mealie meal or cornmeal)
  • 1½ cups cold/room temperature water
  • 2 cups hot water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add ½ cup maize meal to a bowl. Mix it with 1½ cups of cold / room temperature 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. Next, slowly add the hot water, stirring continuously to prevent the sadza from forming lumps.
  3. Keep stirring until it starts to bubble. Cautiously 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 hot water, similar to the first step above, and stir it in. If too thick then add some more hot water.
  4. Stir in the 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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, kapenta, or your favourite relish.

Notes

  • Super refined or precooked mealie meal requires a shorter time to cook, so reduce the cooking time by half if using the precooked varieties.
  • For food safety, be careful when cooking, as sadza tends to splutter out during the boiling stage.
  • If you notice that the porridge seems too thin during the boiling stage before you start adding maize meal, simply make a little slurry in a small cup, comprising a few tablespoons of maize meal and hot water, and stir it in. If too thick then add some more hot water.
  • Always add your maize meal, a little at a time, while continuously stirring, to avoid getting lumps.

Nutrition Information

Calories 211kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 41g (14%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 3g (5%) Saturated Fat 0.5g (3%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Sodium 16mg (1%) Potassium 235mg (7%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 1g (2%) Calcium 14mg (1%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 211

% Daily Value*

Calories 211kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 41g 14%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 0.5g 3%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 16mg 1%
Potassium 235mg 5%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 1g 2%
Calcium 14mg 1%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.