Zimbabwe

 Welcome to Zimbabwe!  I have always wanted to go to this country (and not just because it is fun to say!) It is greener (at least in the pictures) than many other African countries.  There are so many animals there, and who wouldn't want to see Victoria Falls?!  According to Google, the population of Zimbabwe is 16.34 million people and the capital is Harare.  Their national dish is...

 

Sazda!

It is made of cornmeal and is traditionally eaten with soups and stews.  Sound familiar?  It's known as Fufu and Ugali in other African countries.  So, to go with the Sazda, we made "Sadza ne Nyama ye Huku" which translates to "Zimbabwean Porridge with Chicken Stew".  It was a very simple dish to make.  Here's what I did:

SAZDA

2 C water
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 C cornmeal

1. Pour water and the salt into a large pot and bring to a boil. 
2. Combine 3/4 cups of cornmeal with the boiling water, stir well.
3. Slowly add in the remaining cornmeal while constantly stirring.
4. Continue to stir until the cornmeal mixture pulls away from the pot. 
5. Immediately transfer to a separate bowl and use a wooden spoon to shape it into a round shape. 
6. Enjoy!

(Source: Sazda)

 

 CHICKEN STEW

1 yellow onion, diced, divided

1 tbsp fresh minced ginger, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds vine tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper, plus additional to season the chicken
3/4 tsp chili powder, plus additional to season the chicken
3/4 tsp salt, plus additional to season the chicken
1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1″ pieces
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Avocado oil, for cooking

1. Coat a large, shallow pan with about two tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. 
2. Once hot, add two-thirds of the garlic to the pan and cook for about one minute. 
3. Toss in three-quarters of the onions and two-thirds of the ginger, cooking until the onions turn translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes.
4. Turn the heat up to a high flame and stir in the cayenne, black pepper, chili powder and salt and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes, mashing them down every once in a while. 
6. Reduce the heat to low and simmer another 10-15 minutes, continuing to mash the tomatoes.
7. In a separate pot, coat the bottom with another two tablespoons of oil. 
8. Once hot, toss in the remaining onions, ginger and garlic and cook until the onions have turned translucent, approximately 2-3 minutes. 
9. As the onions and seasonings cook, season the chicken with the extra black pepper, chili powder and salt. 
10. Add the chicken to the pan and brown for approximately 3-4 minutes. 
11. Turn off the heat and set aside.
12. After the tomatoes have stewed, carefully scrape them into the cooked chicken. 
13. Add 1/2 cups of water, turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
14. Stir in the scallions and cook another 5 minutes.
15. Enjoy!

(Source: Chicken Stew) 

The verdict?  The stew was really good.  It was chunky and had excellent flavor.  The sazda was exactly like it sounded: cornmeal and water.  However, it did take some of the heat out of the soup when you ate it together.  Overall, we really enjoyed it!

 

    

 

ME

Taste of Sazda (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 2

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Sazda (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 2

 

ME

Taste of Chicken Stew (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 4

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Chicken Stew (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 4

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 8

 

Another country down!  Join us next time in Yemen!