Nshima
Nshima is a staple maize dish meal wisely consumed in Zambia and neighboring regions. Nshima is widely eaten in much of Sub-Saharan Africa actually, where it is known by different names in different countries e.g Ugali (Uganda), Sadza (Zimbabwe), Tuwo (Nigeria), Pap (South Africa) etc.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of Mealie Meal/ White Cornmeal
- 1 Litre Boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups Cold Water
Ingredients for 4 servings (1.8 kg) · the original recipe
Method
- 1
Boil 1 Litre of water in advance, in a Kettle or Sauce pan.
- 2
Once the water boils, combine 1 cup of Cornmeal or Meal as we call it, with 1 1/2 cups of cold water in a sauce pan, to make a smooth paste. A flat cooking stick is ideal for this.
- 3
Transfer the Cornmeal paste to the stove (set at medium high heat), and then slowly pour about 700ml of boiling water into the saucepan, stirring continuously, making sure the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Stovetop - 4
This should lead to a smooth porridge, almost creamy. Allow this to boil for at least 10 minutes, covered.
Stovetop - 5
Remove the cover after 10 minutes and begin to add the remaining Cornmeal to the porridge, a little at a time, making sure it is well combined, before adding some more.
- 6
The porridge should stiffen up quickly with each addition of Cornmeal, and you will need to exert a bit of muscle to mix this well, smoothing out any lumps that form in the process
- 7
Remove from the stove after the 10 minutes, and using a smooth serving spoon, scoop out the Nshima, one lump at a time and transfer into your serving dish.
Stovetop
Recipe from Wikibooks Cookbook, written by Wikibooks contributors. Used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; the ingredient list and method on this page are taken from that page and edited (its notes, tips and variations are not reproduced), and are available under the same licence. The macros, equipment tags and scaling are Ma Kitchen’s own and are not the source’s figures. Ma Kitchen is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wikibooks Cookbook. Copied on 2026-11-12.
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