Chocolate Breakfast Sadza (maize porridge)

Chocolate Breakfast Sadza

Okay, so the lovely warm weather in the UK has finally decided it’s time to disappear… just as the school holidays start! How can it be 26 degrees (c) one day and 11 the next?! Oh and the rain! It actually rained non-stop ALL day on Friday! ALL day! From when I woke until when I slept (which was probably actually Saturday 😛 ) It’s raining again now! Non-stop rain which looks like it’s here for the day… great for my tomatoes but maybe not for the wedding I’m going to! This recipe is thus perfect for breakfast on such days! Or maybe brunch (as it is the holidays)! 😛 :). I actually made this recipe for the first time a while ago but being so busy I didn’t have time to post it until now!

Sadza! Traditionally sadza is an African staple food which is served with savoury foods. Sadza is commonly made from white maize meal – not yellow corn meal / polenta. It took me a while to be able to source this but I finally found it in a local Asian store. I was first introduced to sadza back in 2000 when I was fortunate to be placed in a shared flat with a Zimbabwean lady who has since become one of my very wonderful friends 🙂 So, how did this come about? Well as is often the case in the UK it was a rainy morning! The obvious breakfast choice was porridge, but with hardly any oats left (I was experimenting with crunchy cereal bars) I realised that wasn’t going to happen! My eye fell on the bag of maize meal and I thought ‘sadza’ that’s porridge! 🙂 So it was created… not wanting a savoury version, it was obvious I had to dress it up a bit so trial and error and taste after taste until it was perfect! This is a sweet sadza with actual cacao in it – not just chocolate sadza by name as you may find elsewhere! 😛 🙂

Gather

  • 100g white maize meal
  • 1 teaspoon cacao
  • 2 teaspoons carob powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
  • pinch of salt (optional)
  • 100ml cold water
  • 100ml milk (I use unsweetened carton coconut milk)
  • 200ml boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon date syrup
  • Favourite toppings – optional

Prepare

  1. Put the maize meal with the cacao, carob, cinnamon, sugar and salt (if using) in a saucepan.
  2. Add 100ml of water and mix to a paste.
  3. Using a low heat add the milk and the boiling water and stir until you have a smooth porridge with no lumps.
  4. Watch carefully, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens, add the date syrup and continue cooking. Total cooking time should be 5-10 minutes.
  5. Remove from the heat and put into bowls.
  6. Add your favourite toppings – coconut, fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, cacao nibs.

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  7. Enjoy!

Serve & Store

  • I have been told it is traditional to eat sadza from a communal bowl. Usually you would roll it into a ball using your fingers and then dip (or roll) it in your food (or toppings in this case). Desiccated coconut and chopped nuts spring to mind yumyum!
  • I think this should be made and eaten immediately as I’m not sure how you would reheat it properly – presumably you could add more liquid (it’s quite a thick porridge) and stir vigorously!
  • Serve with a side of your favourite milk (or cream), blueberries, strawberries, banana, raspberries or whatever other fresh fruit you enjoy in the morning.
  • Top with cacao nibs, coconut, linseeds, raisins, nuts or even granola!

Chocolate Breakfast Sadza

  • Servings: 1-2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print
Gather

  • 100g white maize meal
  • 1 teaspoon cacao
  • 2 teaspoons carob powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
  • pinch of salt (optional)
  • 100ml cold water
  • 100ml milk (I use unsweetened carton coconut milk)
  • 200ml boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon date syrup
  • Favourite toppings – optional

Prepare

  1. Put the maize meal with the cacao, carob, cinnamon, sugar and salt (if using) in a saucepan.
  2. Add 100ml of water and mix to a paste.
  3. Using a low heat add the milk and the boiling water and stir until you have a smooth porridge with no lumps.
  4. Watch carefully, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens, add the date syrup and continue cooking. Total cooking time should be 5-10 minutes.
  5. Remove from the heat and put into bowls.
  6. Add your favourite toppings – coconut, fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, cacao nibs.
  7. Enjoy!

Serve & Store

  • I have been told it is traditional to eat sadza from a communal bowl. Usually you would roll it into a ball using your fingers and then dip (or roll) it in your food (or toppings in this case). Desiccated coconut and chopped nuts spring to mind yumyum!
  • I think this should be made and eaten immediately as I’m not sure how you would reheat it properly – presumably you could add more liquid (it’s quite a thick porridge) and stir vigorously!
  • Serve with a side of your favourite milk (or cream), blueberries, strawberries, banana, raspberries or whatever other fresh fruit you enjoy in the morning.
  • Top with cacao nibs, coconut, linseeds, raisins, nuts or even granola!

 

No Comments

  • Delicious Peace of Mind 31st July 2015 at 12:24

    What a delicious looking breakfast for a cold, rainy morning. So comforting! 🙂

    Reply
    • Life Diet Health 31st July 2015 at 12:28

      Thank you! Totally delicious Milica! Although I guess your weather is not cold and rainy at the minute! 😛 🙂

      Reply
  • Delicious Peace of Mind 31st July 2015 at 12:54

    After more than two weeks of incredible heat wave, today, actually it is rainy and sort of cold. And I love it! 🙂 Tomorrow, sun and hot again 🙂

    Reply
    • Life Diet Health 31st July 2015 at 13:14

      Ah the relief of a little rain… I’d love to say that I bet your garden appreciates that lol 😛 … one day! 😀

      Reply
  • Delicious Peace of Mind 31st July 2015 at 13:47

    One day, one day indeed 😛

    Reply
  • What’s in your pantry? A peak inside the LifeDietHealth kitchen! | Life Diet Health 20th January 2016 at 13:01

    […] have three different maize meals including a white one – great for making the Zimbabwean dish Sadza. For gluten-free baking a mix of flours usually works best – currently we’re testing a […]

    Reply

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