Recipes
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malawi
Malawi is located in
east Africa, and, although landlocked, has an important water resource in Lake Malawi, which forms the country’s eastern border and occupies one-fifth of Malawi’s territory. The lake’s fish population includes cichlids, which are prized as aquarium fish all over he world. Farmers raise rice on the shores of the lake. According to the
National Geographic Picture Atlas of Our World, 90% of all Malawians are small farmers with a bit of land near their villages. They grow peanuts, yams, greens, other vegetables and corn, and larger estate farms produce tobacco, sugar and tea for export.
Sweet Potato Pudding
Mbtata Pudding
Serves 2-4
The sweet potato in Malawi is a tropical sweet potato that is not like the sweet potato grown in the U.S. It is white to yellow in color, and the flavor is milder. You can substitute the U.S. variety in this recipe.
| 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped |
2 tablespoons margarine |
| 2 to 3 teaspoons honey |
1 egg, separated |
| Rind and juice of one orange |
|
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place the sweet potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water and cook until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and then put them in a bowl and mash them.
Add all the other ingredients except the egg white and mix them together.
When this is done, beat the egg white until it is stiff, then carefully fold it into the mixture.
Spoon into a greased 9-inch casserole, and bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Recipe from The World in Your Kitchen by Troth Wells, Second Story Press, 1993, p. 139. |
Greens (Malawi)
Masamba
Serves 4-6
This recipe may be prepared with kale, spinach, collards or pumpkin leaves.
| 1 pound greens, well-washed and finely chopped |
4 tablespoons peanut powder |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt |
2 small onions finely chopped (optional) |
| 4 medium tomatoes, chopped |
|
(Prepare peanut powder by grinding roasted peanuts in blender until fine and powdery, or pound them with a mortar and pestle or between two stones.)
Put greens in just enough boiling salted water to cover. Cook over medium heat until soft, adding more water as needed to keep them from sticking. After a minute or so, put the tomatoes and peanut powder on top of the greens but do not stir. If you’re using onions, put them on top as well. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir and simmer and additional 15 minutes. Eat with nsima (see below). |
Stiff porridge
Nsima
Serves 4-6
This recipe is an adaptation of an African staple food, served at every meal to help stretch the meats and vegetables.
You can make this with water instead of milk, or you can try substituting equal parts tapioca flour for the corn meal.
| 1-1/4 cups white cornmeal |
1 cup milk |
Heat a cup of water to boiling in a medium-sized saucepan. Meanwhile, in a bowl gradually add 3/4 cup of the cornmeal to the milk, stirring briskly to make a smooth paste.
Add this mixture to the boiling water, stirring constantly. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes while adding the remaining cornmeal. When mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot and sticks together, remove from heat.
Dump nsima into a lightly greased bowl. With damp hands, shape it into a smooth ball, turning in the bowl to help smooth it. Serve immediately.
To eat in the traditional manner, tear off a piece of nsima and make an indentation in it with your thumb. Use this hollow to scoop up stew or sauce from a communal bowl. In many countries, influenced by Muslim custom, one should use only the right hand to handle the food.
Recipes from The Africa News Cookbook: African Cooking for Western Kitchens, by Africa News Service, 1985, p. 115 and p. 135. |