Mold of Corn Ugali
(click to enlarge)

Nshima of Corn / Maize


Africa S:   -   See Names
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 1 #
**
20 min
Yes		 Nishma (by Many Names) is the main dish of Southern Africa, instead of rice. It is made from Corn Flour / Maize Meal rather than Cassava or Yam as in West and Central Africa.
Here in North America we use mostly rice instead, because Nshima has to be served fresh and warm. With just one cook in the kitchen, there's no-one to stir the Nshima. See also Comments.

1/2
1
1
2
c
c
c
c
Corn Flour (1)
Water, Cold
Corn Flour (more)  
Water, Boiling
Make   -   (20 min)
  1. Bring at least 2 cups of Water to a boil.
  2. Mix 1/2 cup Corn Flour into 1 cup of Cold Water. Whisk it well.
  3. In a 1-1/2 quart saucepan, add 1-3/4 cups of Boiling Water and bring back to a boil.
  4. Stir in the Corn Flour Cold Water mix and whisk well. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Turn heat up to medium, but not so high it will singe the Ugali. Start whisking in the rest of the Corn Flour about 2 T at a time, whisking constantly. When it becomes too stiff for the whisk, use a wooden spatula or wooden spoon and keep stirring until all the Corn Flour is used. Keep stirring until the dough is very stiff and starts to pull away from the pan.
  6. Mold in a lightly oiled bowl, or, when cool enough to handle, form into balls or cylinders as desired. Wrap in plastic so it won't dry out. Refrigerate if you need to keep it more than a few hours.
  7. Nshima is usually served warm in Southern Africa, see Comments.
NOTES:

  1. Corn Flour:

      Tanzanians in North America have found the product Masarica (Masa Instantánea de Maiz) excellent for making Ugali, so it should work with Nshima as well. In any case, the corn flour should be fine, white, and with no other ingredients (except a trace of lime from nixtamalization of the corn.

  2. Names:

      This dish has very wide distribution in Africa, where there are many tribes in each country. Here are names used in Southern Africa:   Nshima, Soor, Sima, Shishima (Zambia, Malawi); Sadza (Zimbabwe); Xima, Chima, Upswa (Mozambique); Pap, Mielie pap, Papa, Bogobe, Um'ratha, Vhuswa, Vhuthu, Mutuku (South Africa); Bohobe, Pap, Mielie pap (Lesotho); Bogobe, Phaletshe, Isitshwala, Shadza (Botswana); Lipalishi (Eswatini / Swaziland); Phuthu, Phalishi (Zulu, South Africa)

  3. Comments:

      In Africa, Nshima is served fresh and warm, because it must have a paste-like texture. A diner will pinch off a blob, mold it into a flattened ball, then use his or her thumb to make an indentation in the middle (all using the right hand). This item is then used as a utensil to pick up some of the stew and carry it to the mouth. This is not too practical in North America, where we use utensils, but it could be cut into cubes or some other shape to be stirred into the stew immediately before eating it. Left over Nshima is good sliced and deep fried.
  4. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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