Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Malawi

Lake Malawi fish with nsima maize porridge; leafy relishes thickened with groundnuts, banana fritters and sweet maize drinks. That is the short version of what Malawi cooks. Look for Nsima (smooth maize porridge patties, the heart of every Malawian meal), Chambo (lake Malawi tilapia grilled or fried whole, national favorite) and Malawi tea (brisk black tea from the Thyolo and Mulanje slopes, drunk sweet with milk). Maize meal cooked stiff and turned with a wooden spoon; maize displaced sorghum and millet in Malawi during the colonial period. This atlas has 28 Malawi dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

28 dishes.

Carlsberg MalawiCarlsberg MalawiGreen-label lager brewed in Blantyre, the bar standard nationwideChambikoChambikoSour fermented milk drunk plain or poured over nsimaChamboChamboLake Malawi tilapia grilled or fried whole, national favoriteChibukuChibukuOpaque commercial sorghum beer sold by the carton, shaken before pouringChikondamoyoChikondamoyoSweet maize flour cake baked in a covered pot over coalsChinangwaChinangwaCassava boiled or roasted over coals and eaten with saltChipondeChipondeThick roasted groundnut paste stirred into relishes and porridgeFutaliFutalisweet potato or pumpkin mashed with groundnut flourKachasuKachasupotent home-distilled spirit from maize or sugarcaneKanyenyaKanyenyaFish or meat deep-fried in seasoned batter and served with hot chipsKondowoleKondowoleelastic cassava-flour paste eaten with fish in the northMalawi GinMalawi GinLocal dry gin, cheap and juniper-sharp, drunk long with tonic or cordialMalawi ShandyMalawi ShandyGinger ale and soda water with lemon and a dash of Angostura bittersMalawi teaMalawi teaBrisk black tea from the Thyolo and Mulanje slopes, drunk sweet with milkMandasiMandasifried dough puffs sold at markets with teaMbewaMbewaField mice roasted whole on skewers, eaten head, bones and allMtedza wokazingaMtedza wokazingaGroundnuts roasted in their skins and sold by the cupNdiwoNdiwogreens relish with tomato, onion and groundnut flourNgumbiNgumbiFlying termites caught at the first rains and fried crisp in their own fatNkhwaniNkhwanipumpkin leaves cooked down with groundnut flourNsimaNsimasmooth maize porridge patties, the heart of every Malawian mealNsinjiroNsinjiroRoasted groundnut flour stirred into greens and relishesNsomba zowotchaNsomba zowotchaLake fish salted and grilled whole over charcoal by the waterNthochiNthochiDense banana bread made with overripe bananas and groundnutsPhalaPhalasoft maize porridge, sometimes enriched with groundnuts or sugarThobwaThobwasweet fermented maize and millet drink, cloudy and refreshingUsipaUsipatiny lake sardines sun-dried or fried, served with nsimaZitumbuwaZitumbuwabanana fritters of mashed banana and rice flour

  • Chambiko

    Sour fermented milk drunk plain or poured over nsima. 10 min to prepare. Makes about 1.5 litres. A cheese &…

  • Chikondamoyo

    Sweet maize flour cake baked in a covered pot over coals. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 50 minutes cooking.…

  • Chiponde

    Thick roasted groundnut paste stirred into relishes and porridge. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 20 minutes cooking. About 500…

  • Chinangwa

    Cassava boiled or roasted over coals and eaten with salt. Ready in 15 min prep and 30 min cooking. 4…

  • Futali

    Sweet potato or pumpkin mashed with groundnut flour. Ready in 20 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves 4. A…

  • Kachasu

    Potent home-distilled spirit from maize or sugarcane. A wine & spirit recipe from Malawi.

  • Kanyenya

    Fish or meat deep-fried in seasoned batter and served with hot chips. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 30 minutes…

  • Kondowole

    Elastic cassava-flour paste eaten with fish in the north. Ready in 5 min prep and 25 min cooking. 4 servings.…

  • Malawi Gin

    Local dry gin, cheap and juniper-sharp, drunk long with tonic or cordial. A wine & spirit recipe from Malawi.

  • Malawi Shandy

    Ginger ale and soda water with lemon and a dash of Angostura bitters. 3 minutes to prepare. Serves 1. A…