Thobwa is a Malawian and Zambian fermented drink [1] that has a milky appearance, a cereal taste and a grainy texture. [2] It is made from white maize and millet or sorghum [3] and is popular in all parts of the country. [4] The name thobwa means "sweet beer", [5] and although it is non-alcoholic it can be left for five days and it will turn to mowa or beer. [6]
Thobwa is made by boiling water with m'gaiwa (whole grain white maize flour) until it makes phala (porridge). [7] More water is then added and brought to a rolling boil for about 15 minutes. [2] After this the mixture is left to cool until warm and at this point a handful of maŵele (millet flour) is added. [8] This mixture is now left in a mbiya (big clay pot) in a cool place for two days before being served as thobwa. [8]
Because thobwa is made using maize flour it has a cereal taste and is filling. [9] Many Malawians use this drink as energy for the day and it is sold everywhere out of recycled plastic bottles in the towns/cities, and from clay pots in the villages. [4] Thobwa can be found all year round, however it is mainly served in the hot months (September-November), and is particularly served to welcome guests visiting a compound. Huge quantities of thobwa are consumed at weddings as a celebratory drink. [6]
Ethiopian cuisine characteristically consists of vegetable and often very spicy meat dishes. This is usually in the form of wat, a thick stew, served on top of injera, a large sourdough flatbread, which is about 50 centimeters in diameter and made out of fermented teff flour. Ethiopians eat most of the time with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of entrées and side dishes.
Porridge is a food commonly eaten as any dish, made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, or it can be mixed with spices, meat or vegetables to make a savoury dish. It is usually served hot in a bowl, depending on its consistency. Oat porridge, or oatmeal, is one of the most common types of porridge. Gruel is a thinner version of porridge.
Mămăligă is a porridge made out of yellow maize flour, traditional in Romania, Moldova and West Ukraine. Preparing the traditional dish is also continued by Poles from Lviv whose families were resettled in the Recovered Territories after World War II. In Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia and many other countries, this dish is known as polenta, while in Georgia, it is called ღომი (gomi).
Polenta is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. The dish comes from Italy. It may be served as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled.
Champurrado is a chocolate-based atole, a warm and thick Mexican beverage, prepared with either masa de maíz , masa harina, or corn flour ; piloncillo; water or milk; and occasionally containing cinnamon, anise seed, or vanilla. Ground nuts, orange zest, and egg can also be employed to thicken and enrich the drink. Atole drinks are whipped up using a wooden whisk called a molinillo. The whisk is rolled between the palms of the hands, then moved back and forth in the mixture until it is aerated and frothy; a blender may also be used.
Chhaang or chang is a Nepalese and Tibetan alcoholic beverage also popular in parts of the eastern Himalayas, Yakkha, Limbu, Newar, Sunuwar, Rai, Gurung, Magar, Sherpa, Tamang and Lepcha communities. Among the Lepcha, it is called Chi.
Ugali, or sima, is a type of stiff maize flour porridge made in Africa. It is also known as vuswa, bogobe, fufu, gauli, gima, isitshwala, kimnyet, kuon, mieliepap, ngima, nshima, obokima, ovuchima, (o)busuma, oshifima, oruhere, pap, phutu, posho, sadza, ubugali, and umutsima, among other names. Sima is sometimes made from other flours, such as millet or sorghum flour, and is sometimes mixed with cassava flour. It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. In 2017, the dish was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, one of a few foods in the list.
In West Africa, garri refers to the creamy granular flour obtained by processing the starchy tuberous roots of freshly harvested cassava.
The cuisine of Botswana is unique but shares some characteristics with other cuisines of Southern Africa. Examples of Setswana food include pap, samp, vetkoek, bogobe and mophane worms. A food unique to Botswana is seswaa, salted mashed-up meat.
Ghanaian cuisine is the cuisine of the Ghanaian people. Ghanaian main dishes are organized around a starchy staple food, which goes with a sauce or soup containing a protein source. The main ingredients for the vast majority of soups and stews are tomatoes, hot peppers and onions. As a result, most of the Ghanaian soups and stews are red or orange in appearance.
Pito is a type of beer made from fermented millet or sorghum in northern Ghana, parts of Nigeria, and other parts of West Africa. It is made by small (household-level) producers, and is typically served in a calabash outside the producer's home where benches are sometimes provided.
Millet beer, also known as Bantu beer, malwa, pombe "Tchouk" or opaque beer, is an alcoholic beverage made from malted millet that is common throughout Africa. Its production process varies across regions and in the southern parts of Africa is more commonly known as umqombothi. Millet beer varies in taste and alcoholic content between ethnic groups. It is served in calabash gourds.
Burkinabé cuisine, the cuisine of Burkina Faso, is similar to the cuisines in many parts of West Africa, and is based on staple foods of sorghum, millet, rice, fonio, maize, peanuts, potatoes, beans, yams and okra. Rice, maize and millet are the most commonly eaten grains. Grilled meat is common, particularly mutton, goat, beef and fish.
The cuisine of Rwanda is based on local staple foods produced by the traditional subsistence-level agriculture and has historically varied across different areas.
Chadian cuisine is the cooking traditions, practices, foods and dishes associated with the Republic of Chad. Chadians use a medium variety of grains, vegetables, fruits and meats. Commonly consumed grains include millet, sorghum, and rice as staple foods. Commonly eaten vegetables include okra and cassava. A variety of fruits are also eaten. Meats include mutton, chicken, pork, goat, fish, lamb and beef. The day's main meal is typically consumed in the evening on a large communal plate, with men and women usually eating in separate areas. This meal is typically served on the ground upon a mat, with people sitting and eating around it.
Malawian cuisine includes the foods and culinary practices of Malawi. Tea and fish are popular features of Malawian cuisine. Sugar, coffee, corn, potatoes, sorghum, cattle and goats are also important components of the cuisine and economy.
Fura is a type of food originating with the Fulanis and Hausas in West Africa. It is a millet dough ball, with "fura" meaning millet ball. It is also eaten in Niger and Ghana. The millet is grounded into a powdered form, rolled and molded into balls, then mashed and mixed with Nono - a fermented milk. The combination of fura and nono is forms the Fura Da Nono drink, a locally-made drink that contains carbohydrate and fiber. The fura food and the fura da nono drink are popular in Northern Nigeria. They are served during special occasions and as a meal in the afternoons
