Sadza

Sadza is the staple food cooked widely Zimbabwe. The most common form of sadza is made with white maize. Despite the fact that maize is actually an imported food crop to Zimbabwe, it has become the chief source of carbohydrate and the most popular meal for indigenous people. Locals either purchase the meal in retail outlets or produce it in a grinding mill from their own maize.

Zimbabweans prefer white maize meal. During times of famine or hardship they resort to eating yellow maize meal, which is sometimes called “Kenya,” because it was once imported from that nation.  Before the introduction of maize, sadza was made from millet flour instead.

Preparation is a more complicated process than it may first seem from the appearance of the food.  The sadza is usually served in a communal bowl or separate plates and is taken with the right hand, rolled into balls, and dipped into meat, sauce, gravy, or stewed vegetables.