Nshima

Total Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 cups cornmeal (one cup per serving is sufficient)
• 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 16 cups water (more as or if as needed)

Recipe

• 1 pour cold water (two and 1/2 cups for each cup of cornmeal) into a large pot. over high heat, begin to bring to a boil.
• 2 after a few minutes, when the water is warm, slowly add the about half the cornmeal to the water one spoonful at a time, stirring continuously with a sturdy wooden spoon. continue cooking (and stirring) until the mixture begins to boil and bubble. reduce heat to medium and cook for a few minutes.
• 3 cooking the mixture over medium heat, add the remaining cornmeal, as before, sprinkling it spoonful by spoonful as you continue to stir. it is essential to keep stirring -- if making a large quantity, it may take one person to hold the pot and another to use two hands to stir.
• 4 the nshima should be very thick (no liquid remaining) and smooth (no lumps). it may reach this point before all of the remaining cornmeal is added to the pot -- or it may be necessary to add even more cornmeal than this recipe indicates.
• 5 once the desired consistency is reached, turn off heat, cover the pot, and allow the nshima to stand for a few minutes before serving. serve nshima immediately, hot, with the ndiwo of your choice.
• 6 with clean hands, tear bits of nshima off and use them to scoop up the ndiwo.