Creamy Sigwamba(Creamy Spinach Pap)

 As Africans we have numerous ethnic groups and within each tribal group we still differ from each other. Those from the South might differ in language or cultural customs from the Northern although they are all from the same ethnic group. 

 Which brings me to today’s Recipe, which I originally got from my Granz but I put a little modern twist to it.

Originally in this recipe you boil the spinach/mfino but not today

Ingredients

2 Bunch of Spinach( finely chopped)

2 Cups of Maize Meal

1 Onion( finely chopped)

Garlic

1Table Spoon of Oil

Feta Cheese

Black Pepper

Salt

Method

·         Heat up the oil in a pot.

·         When the oil is hot add your onion

·         Add garlic to the  onion, keep string to prevent the onion and garlic from burning.

·         Add the finely chopped spinach, Black Pepper and Salt for seasoning. Close the pot lid and let the spinach cook through

·         Add Feta

·         Add a cup of maize meal and mix together (without removing the pot from the stove)and add more maize meal if need be

      Let it rest for a few minutes and stir again and repeat for 3/4 times until cooked 

I

I   I served my Creamy Sigwamba with BBQ chicken and roasted vegetables, do share what you served yours with.

   xoxo

   Samke

   Sugar&Spices

Cinnamon ISijingi (Pumpkin/ Butternut Porridge)

Cinnamon ISijingi (Pumpkin/ Butternut Porridge)

Isijingi is a traditional porridge which is originally made out of pumpkin/butternut and maize meal.

My granny used to make this delicious healthy porridge for us whenever we visited her at the South Coast. I would be the first to admit I wasn't always a fan of it reason being; I grew up hating vegetables……hahaha but don’t all kids do!

I recently found out that Isijingi is a known meal even outside South Africa, it’s known in Zimbabwe as Nopi.

I also found out that some Nguni tribes have it as a main course and they eat it at any time of the day.

Today I twisted my Granz original recipe by adding Cinnamon which goes so well with butternut or pumpkin and I will be eating mine with Pineapple Syrup(I can’t let this Pineapple I’ve garnished with go to waste now hey….. wink wink)

Ingredient

1 medium sized butternut (Cubed into small pieces)

4cups boiling water

2 cups maize meal

Table spoon of Cinnamon

 Pinch of Salt

Method:

1.       Cook pumpkin/ butternut with Cinnamon and a Pinch of Salt in boiling water until soft.

2.       When soft smash without removing it from the stove

3.       Add maize meal and mix well with a wooden spoon on a blow before pouring it into the pot

4.       Simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes, stirring continuously until cooked.

Tip : a Pinch of salt always enhances the sweetness of the pumpkin or butternut 

N.B. I had my Isijingi with Pineapple syrup……So do let me know what you served yours with.

Xoxo

Samke

Sugar&Spices