Amaiz-ing

N’sima makes you strong.”

Like the Nike swish or the mind manipulating mantra “For everything else use MasterCard”, the popularity of n’sima is a testimony to the power of advertising.

N’sima (or fufu or ugali) is THE main staple here in Malawi. In fact Malawians consume more n’sima per person than any other sub-Saharan country. This reality is often credited to a nationwide advertising campaign back in the 1960’s when maize was cheap & plentiful. A successful government campaign convinced the vast majority of Malawians that “N’sima makes you strong!”

N’sima is a chubby flour pancake that has no flavor and less nutrition. Nevertheless, n’sima does fill the belly, keep you alive, and is still relatively inexpensive.

N’sima begins it’s journey to the belly when the field corn ripens and is harvested. Usually the kernels are painstakingly removed from the cob by hand. At the Nursery we purchase maize kernels in 50 kg. bags (110 lbs.) for around $8.50 each.

Next we take the maize to the mill where the kernels are rinsed and shelled. Then we take it back to the Nursery to be winnowed, washed, and dried in the sun. Finally we return to the maize mill to have it ground into fine white flour.

Put water in a pot, add flour bit by bit and stir, stir, stir. When the n'sima becomes really thick and your arms begin to ache you know that the n’sima is almost done. Scoop it out with a heavy wooden spoon so it makes the pancake like shape and serve with a “dende” of greens, as well as a small “relish” of beans, beef, chicken, or fish, as available.

That’s it. N’sima is on the menu every day, twice a day, 313 days a year.(We serve rice at least once a week.) Even if a Malawian has eaten a full meal, if N'sima was not part of it they will tell you that they have not eaten. And to watch some of our Malawian friends at work, I’m almost beginning to believe it myself. N’sima makes you strong. It’s a maize ing!