Sadza - Ugali (African Cornmeal) (2024)

By: Author Lola Osinkolu

Posted on Published: Sep 4, 2020- Last updated: Dec 31, 2021

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If you love good, old fashioned sadza or Ugali this is the perfect recipe. This recipe will show you how to make sadza that comes out perfect every time. Simple and delicious!

What is sadza/Ugali?

If you are new to this to this food, you may be wondering what it is all about. I’ll try to help as much as I can.

Sadza is a staple in a lot of African countries, especially South Africa and East Africa.

It is a very ”thick porridge” made from finely ground white cornmeal popularly known as mealie meal. It is similar to polenta but thicker in texture, and it is usually served as an accompaniment to meat and vegetable soups and stews.

Other names

If you have been reading along, you will discover that I have been usingSadzaandUgaliinterchangeably. This is because they are practically the same. It is often calledSadza in Zimbabwe, pap in South Africa, Ugali in Tanzania, inUganda, it’s calledPosho. It is also popularly known asNshima and mielie pap.

When it comes to preparation, the people of South Africa like theirs a bit on the softer side while most people in East Africa like it is a little thicker.

I like mine in between (not too soft and not too thick), and that’s the recipe I have provided below. However, you can choose the texture of your ugali. Use lesser cornflour for soft ugali and use more cornflour for a more solid consistency.

How to make Sadza

Sadza is very easy to prepare; however, it might be a little tricky if this is new to you. If it is not well prepared, there are chances that it turns out with tiny lumps of cornflour in the dish.

To make the Sadza:

Mix the cornflour and water:Add room temperature water with the cornflour using a ladle and mix it up until the flour and water are thoroughly mixed.
Prepare the soft Porridge:Place the mixture over medium heat and boil continually stirring until the Pap is formed and leave to Pap to boil for few more minutes.
Make the Sadza:Once the porridge has been prepared, add more cornflour to the porridge stirring continuously with a ladle until you get the desired consistency.

What to serve with Sadza

Sadza is not eaten alone because by itself it has little to no taste. It is often served with a type of relish like sukuma wiki (collard green/kale relish) or tomato relish.

Some like to add milk to make it tastier, especially for special occasions. I’ve also seen one person who added butter to hers. While butter is not traditional, it will definitely add a bit more flavor to your Ugali. When one or a combination of these are added, the Sadza is almost as good enough to eat on its own.

How to eat Sadza – Ugali

Ugali is often eaten with hands. Take off a little bit just mold it into a ball in the palm of your hand. Use your thumb to make a small hole and use the morsel to scoop up the stew or soup served along with the Sadza.

Notes:

I like to start my cornmeal to water ratio as 1:2. You can add more cornflour as needed or more water as needed. The recipe can also be doubled 2:4 or tripled 3:6 and so on.
While making the Sadza, it’s important to stirring vigorously in order to prevent lumps. This requires a bit of elbow grease, especially when making it for a larger crowd because the Sadza becomes thicker as you go.
Try not to add the cornmeal while the Pap is on a rolling boil to prevent it from splashing on you. You don’t want to burn yourself.
Some cornmeal cooks raw, and some come pre-cooked. Be sure to check. If using pre-cooked cornmeal, your ugali will be ready in about 15 minutes, and if you use the raw cornmeal, your ugali will take about 30 to 40 minutes a little more or less depending on the quantity you are making.

Other similar Indigenous African side dish includes Pounded yam, Fufu, Eba, Amala, and much more!

sadza – Ugali

If you love good, old fashioned sadza this is the perfect recipe. This recipe will show you how to make sadza that comes out perfect every time. Simple and delicious!

5 from 7 votes

Ingredients

4 cups water or a little more if needed
2 cups fine cornmeal
½ teaspoon salt optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Make the Pap by mixing the water with a cup of cornmeal and salt. Place on medium heat and continue to stir until the light Pap is formed. Then leave the Pap to come to cook—about 10 to 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and start adding the remaining cornmeal a little at a time, continually stirring until you reach your desired consistency.
Cover and leave to cook on a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir a couple of turns again.
Cook further if too soft (it gets thicker the longer it cooks) or add a bit of water if too thick and stir a couple of times till the water is absorbed and the sadza is uniformly combined.
Remove from heat and serve with your choice of relish!

Notes

I like to start my cornmeal to water ratio as 1:2. You can add more cornflour as needed or more water as needed. The recipe can also be doubled 2:4 or tripled 3:6 and so on.
While making the Sadza, it’s important to stirring vigorously in order to prevent lumps. This requires a bit of elbow grease, especially when making it for a larger crowd because the Sadza becomes thicker as you go.
Try not to add the cornmeal while the Pap is on a rolling boil to prevent it from splashing on you. You don’t want to burn yourself.
Some cornmeal cooks raw, and some come pre-cooked. Be sure to check. If using pre-cooked cornmeal, your ugali will be ready in about 15 minutes, and if you use the raw cornmeal, your ugali will take about 30 to 40 minutes a little more or less depending on the quantity you are making.

Nutrition

Let’s Connect!You can find me onYouTube,Facebook, andInstagram.I love keeping in touch with all of you! and if you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @cheflolaskitchen ❤❤❤

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FAQs

What is the difference between sadza and ugali? ›

Ugali goes by different names in Kenya and across sub-Saharan Africa including “nsima” or “nshima” in Malawi and Zambia, “pap” or “mealie pap” in South Africa, and “sadza” in Zimbabwe.

What is Zaza Zimbabwe food? ›

IWISA Super Maize meal is a staple food from maize flour. It's enjoyed in almost all African countries. It's called Zaza in most parts of Zimbabwe and Africa.

See Details ›

What is cornmeal called in Africa? ›

Ugali, a basic staple eaten across several African countries only differs in name and consistency (hard or soft). While in some English speaking countries cornmeal is also called posho, it is under different aliases with the most notable ones being fufu from West Africa and ugali as it is called in Kenya and Tanzania.

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What is sadza called in Nigeria? ›

Sadza is the Zimbabwean staple food. It is also a staple food in southern and east Africa. It is similar to ugali in Kenya, nsima in Malawi, fufu in Nigeria and papa in South Africa. Different types of meal can be used to make sadza/isitshwala.

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What is sadza called in America? ›

It is similar to corn meal, however corn meal (or polenta) is yellow in appearance. White maize is grown in Southern Africa, Yellow corn/maize is the common corn in North America. Closer to the equator, mealie meal is replaced or substituted with Cassava flour, to make the locally named equivalent of sadza/isitshwala.

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What is sadza called in English? ›

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, DRC, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa.

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Are fufu and sadza the same? ›

SADZA is the Shona (in Zimbabwe) word for it, it is called UGALI in Kenya and Tanzania, NSHIMA in Zambia and Malawi, and POSHO in Uganda. In West, East and areas of Central Africa the generic staple is FUFU -- a close relation to PAP. FUFU is called GHAAT in Eritrea and Ethiopia.

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Is fufu the same as ugali? ›

In the French-speaking regions of Cameroon, it is called "couscous" (not to be confused with the North African dish couscous). Although people from Eastern Africa and Southern Africa seem to confuse fufu (or fufuo) with their type of corn or maize dough dish called ugali or nshima, it is not the same.

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What is ugali called in English? ›

In South Africa, West Africa, and the Caribbean: porridge, esp. porridge made from maize meal (see also mealie-pap, n.). ugali1860– A kind of thick porridge made from (usually maize) flour and water, forming a staple food in parts of East Africa.

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What are the disadvantages of ugali? ›

Ugali made from highly refined flour is digested faster, raises the blood sugar equally fast and has a shorter satiety. A person who eats the refined ugali often suffers sudden rise and drops in blood sugar, gets hungry more often and consumes fewer nutrients which increases his risk of dietary related conditions.

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What is the English name for fufu? ›

Fufu (pounded yam or cassava) is a food dish which first came from West Africa, but is enjoyed by many people across the world. Its taste somewhat resembles that of mashed potatoes with butter.

See Details ›

What is sadza called in Kenya? ›

SADZA is the Shona (in Zimbabwe) word for it, it is called UGALI in Kenya and Tanzania, NSHIMA in Zambia and Malawi, and POSHO in Uganda. In West, East and areas of Central Africa the generic staple is FUFU -- a close relation to PAP.

What do South Africans call ugali? ›

Known as ugali in Kenya and Tanzania, this starchy, porridge-like side dish goes by different names in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi and Zambia it is called nsima or nshima. The South African name for it is pap or mealie pap.

Read On ›

What is the dish ugali similar to? ›

Like its cousins Fufu, Eba and Pounded Yam in western Africa, and its distant Italian cousin Polenta, this dish is usually eaten with a soup or stew. Like its African cousins, this dish is also meant to be eaten by hand.

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What does sadza consist of? ›

At its core, Sadza is a staple food made from white corn, a key agricultural crop in Zimbabwe. The preparation of Sadza is a straightforward yet essential process. It involves mixing cornmeal with water and cooking it until it reaches a thick, smooth consistency.

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