Exploring world cuisines is always fascinating and eye-opening. Here in Finland, we have had the chance to get familiar with many foreign flavors, most commonly Chinese, Mexican, Indian, Thai and a variety of European food, for example. We even have a few African restaurants in Helsinki. However, Southern African food, in particular, is probably a total mystery for most of us here. During my studies in Zambia, I familiarized myself with this completely different and foreign food world. Here is a short introduction to Zambian food!
Nshima is life
Zambian staple food is “nshima”, a thick porridge made of fine cornmeal and water. Nshima is served with several vegetable dishes and some protein, usually beef, chicken, fish, beans or caterpillars (yes, you read correctly). There are similar types of maize meals which are also staple foods in other African countries and have many different names depending on the country (pap, ugali, phutu, sadza…). Nshima is eaten by using the right hand, forming a small piece of it into a ball and using it as a “tool” to eat the vegetable and protein dishes. The eating process takes a lot of practice! Cooking nshima is also trickier than you would think of a dish that has only two ingredients. Zambians have the instructions in their blood and if you try to ask, no one can tell for sure how much maize meal and water you are supposed to mix. They just know it by intuition.
For most Zambians, this comfort food is everything. Some Zambians even eat nshima three times a day! For a foreigner, it might take a long time to get used to it because nshima itself is rather flavorless and quite heavy. However, after eating nshima for some time, I fell in love with it and got addicted. Also, nshima makes you super tired. The best naps ever are the ones you have after eating a big meal of nshima.
Delicious and affordable veggies
Ifisashi (left) and Nshima (right)
My favorite thing about Zambian food is that it includes many healthy vegetables such as leafy greens, cabbage, okra and beans. There is a variety of different dark green leaves, which are cooked as a relish with nshima, such as pumpkin- and sweet potato leaves, Chinese cabbage and spinach. My ultimate favorite Zambian dish is “ifisashi”, a green peanut sauce prepared with one of the green leaves and grounded peanuts. Served with nshima, beans and tomato sauce, it is one of my favorite comfort meals.
Vegetables and fruits bought from the street vendors are affordable and fresh. Life does not get much better than spending time in Zambia during mango or avocado season when these fruits cost next to nothing. The taste of fresh Zambian mangoes is out of this world!
The spices?
The common conception is that all African foods have a lot of spices and chili. The truth is I have never encountered a cuisine with less spices than Zambian food. Even Finnish cuisine beats Zambian when it comes to using spices! Zambian vegetable and protein dishes are usually cooked with tomato and onion as a base and only salt is added. Some people like to add a little bit of chili but it is not too common. Me being a chili lover, some Zambians thought I had lost my mind when adding heaps of chili in my food. However, the lack of spices gives the vegetables a chance to shine with the fresh flavors.
In the end, getting to know this foreign food world has been a journey, to say the least, from confusion to cooking the dishes myself. My tip of the day: be brave and try new foods! Stepping out of your food comfort zone every once in a while is always a good idea. :)
Photo credit: 196 flavors