Malawian · main

Nsima with Ndiwo za Nkhaka

Nsima with Ndiwo za Nkhaka reads nutty 4.8, heat 3.8 and salinity 3.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Malawian main, about 59 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 3.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Nutty 4.8 · Heat 3.8 · Salinity 3.6 · Richness 3.6 · Allium 3.5 · Umami 2.3 · Sourness 2.3 · Fruity 2.2 · Sweetness 2.1 · Earthy 2.1 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Bitterness 1.1 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (10)

• water — 1500 g
• cornmeal — 400 g
• pumpkin leaves — 500 g
• sunflower oil — 41 g
• onion — 110 g
• tomatoes — 350 g
• peanuts — 100 g
• water — 250 g
• salt — 5 g
• fresh chili pepper — 100 g

Time & effort: about 59 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 66.2 kcal, 1.7 g protein, 1.6 g fat, 11.2 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring the water to the boil in a heavy pot. Whisk in about a third of the maize flour and cook 5 minutes, stirring, to make phala - a thin porridge. This first stage is what keeps the nsima free of lumps.
2. Now add the remaining flour a handful at a time, working it in with a flat wooden nthiko against the side of the pot. Cook 15 minutes over medium heat, folding and pressing, until the nsima is stiff enough to hold the mark of the spoon. Shape into rounded portions with a wet spoon.
3. For the ndiwo, wash the shredded greens and set them aside wet.
4. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion 6 minutes over medium heat.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook 8 minutes until they slump into a sauce.
6. Add the greens with the relish water, cover and simmer 12 minutes until tender.
7. Stir in the groundnut flour and simmer a further 8 minutes, uncovered, until the relish thickens and the raw groundnut taste has cooked off.
8. Season with salt and the chopped chilli. Serve the nsima and the ndiwo side by side, eaten with the right hand.
9. Substitutions: mustard greens can stand in for the pumpkin leaves.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Ifisashi — Zambian
• Accara with Tapalapa and Pepper Sauce — Gambian
• Muriwo Unedovi (Greens in Peanut Butter) — Zimbabwean
• Tigadèguèna (Groundnut Sauce with Chicken) — Malian
• Papadzules — Mexican · Yucatán

Keep reading: what nutty, heat, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.