Food of Malawi

Nsima is eaten traditionally with your hands, which was a very fun experience compared to silverware!  Although I hate to say it, I was not the biggest fan of the nsima with this meal. My Malawian friends say it's because I did not choose something with more sauce, and that caused the taste to be more bland. 

How is the food prepared?:

I asked our cook Naomi about how nsima is cooked, and she told me the steps, which I'll share with you. 

  1. The water is heated in a large pot.
  2. Cornflower maize is added into the pot and stirred until it begins to boil.
  3. The mixture simmers for about ten to fifteen minutes. 
  4. After it simmers, add more cornflower little by little while stirring with a large wooden spoon. 
  5. Once the mixture is solid and able to be formed into patties it is scooped onto a plate and served with a meal of choice!
Is this food connected to the local environment? How?:

Almost everything in Malawi is connected directly to the environment. Malawi is a very agricultural-based country, with their biggest exports being crops, tea and tobacco, and many people raise their own livestock. When driving through the villages, it is very common to see goats, cows and chickens free roaming on the sides of the road. People go to buy food either from the local markets or grocery stores. The grocery stores tend to be more expensive, as most of that food is imported from other countries. A great advantage to the local markets is that you can bargain! 

Location:
Blantyre, Malawi
Location Data:
POINT (35.0167866 -15.7666707)

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