By Simon Ngena

ZIMBABWEANS are beginning to consume more traditional meals which they say are healthier compared to conventional Western dishes. So high is the demand that supermarkets are selling diff erent types of mealiemeal including small grains like millet, sorghum, fi nger millet and traditional delicacies such as mopani worms, blackjack, cassava, sweet potato, pumpkin jack, cassava, sweet potato, pumpkin and African spinach (nyevhe).

“Our people have awakened and are beginning to realise the benefi ts of eat-beginning to realise the benefi ts of eating their own traditional foods and wild fruits,” says a shop owner in downtown Harare, who specialises in traditional foods. At the same time, the First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa is running wellness Auxillia Mnangagwa is running wellness awareness programmes around the country conducting competitions in preparing traditional meals.

Not to be outdone, the hospitality, too, has joined the traditional foods bandwagon. Because of the demand, bandwagon. Because of the demand, established restaurants, hotels and takeaways are diversifying and coming up with attractive traditional dishes. “Traditional foods have been scientifi cally proven to be healthier in terms of well-being, hence there is a sudden well-being, hence there is a sudden upsurge in interest. “Tripe, mopani worms, dried vegetables bles (mufushwa) are some of the most (mufushwa) are some of the most (mufushwa) popular and on-demand,” says a chef with one of Harare’s leading restaurants. with one of Harare’s leading restaurants.

According to the Zimbabwe Chefs’ According to the Zimbabwe Chefs’ Association, food in Zimbabwe is fast changing with traditional cuisine sometimes being blended into international dishes. Former Deputy Health Minister Dr John Mangwiro, a practising diabetologist, has always advised Zimbabweans to eat traditional foods. “Most of our traditional foods are fat-free. Take, for example, the mopani worms have three times the protein content as compared to beef. “We have lots of our vegetables like okra which are natural and healthy, those are the foods we are encouraging our people to eat,” Dr Mangwiro says. An NCD peer educator agrees, saying: “Some traditional meals that we are encouraging young Zimbabweans to eat reduce the chances of getting non-communicable diseases (NCDs).” Below we sample some of Zimbabwe’s most popular traditional dishes: Sadza This is the richly scrumptious product of Zimbabwe’s staple crop, maize. First, maize or other grain is ground into a powder.

The sadza is made from boiling water and mixing it with a maize or small grains such as sorghum or millet letting it simmer for a while before fi nally adding more of the meal to make it thicker. The end result is a hot steaming mountain that can be accompanied by beef or chicken stew and a side of any leafy vegetable.The result is utter satisfaction when washed down with a glass of ice-cold water. glass of ice-cold water. Mazondo Mazondo or cow trotters are a tradition-Mazondo or cow trotters are a tradition-Mazondo ally highly esteemed cow by-product. They take a long time to cook, and when done they form a thick savoury soup that is a treat for most in Zimbabwe. It is believed to have several health benefi ts, including strengthening the backbone. Mutakura Mutakura is made out of a mixture of grains from maize, groundnuts and cowpeas, and occasionally even nuts. The ingredients are boiled and seasoned.

Mutakura makes an awesome meal to give to visitors as a complete dish with just a glass of water to polish it all off . Kapenta Surprisingly expensive, fresh, or dried Kariba Kapenta has saved many families from the boredom of eating sadza and green leafy veggies alone. An alternative to meat and very rich in protein, this type of fi sh grows only up to a couple of inches. Kapenta can be made with tomato and onion soup, or simply fried to a golden crispy snack. Other modern versions include dipping the small fi sh into egg and fl our and frying in oil on medium heat. Madora/Macimbi/Mopane Worms The mopane is a worm considered a mopane is a worm considered a mopane delicacy in Zimbabwe and other African countries. It is found in mopane trees mopane trees mopane that grow in the Matabeleland region and parts of the Midlands. It is a green or black and whitishstained worm with spikes on its body.

The worm is squeezed clean of all its internal fl uid so that only a yellowish fl eshy part remains. Boiling them or simply salting and drying them out in the sun are some of the ways that mopane worms can be prepared for the pot. The actual preparation takes only 20 minutes in which the worms are boiled, drained of water, and then left to simmer in a bit of oil with tomato, onion, and a mixture of spices. They go down quite well with sadza, a porridge made of ground maize.

To be continued