In brief
- Ugali: firm white maize flour paste cooked in water, a staple food of East and Southern Africa.
- Origin: East Africa, after maize was introduced by Portuguese traders in the 16th and 17th centuries.
- Essential ingredients: white maize flour, water, salt.
- Eaten with the hands, rolled into a ball to scoop up sauces and stews; known by other names depending on the country (posho, nsima, sadza, pap).
Origins and cultural history of ugali
Maize arrives in Africa after Portuguese trade exchanges in the 16th and 17th centuries; before its introduction, sorghum and millet were the staple cereals across much of sub-Saharan Africa. Farmers widely adopted it because it is grown much like sorghum while offering a markedly higher yield; its replacement of local cereals is completed in the second half of the 20th century.
Ugali is found today in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana, under more than a hundred local names: posho in Uganda, nsima in Malawi and Zambia, sadza in Zimbabwe, pap in South Africa. In Malawi, nsima was inscribed in 2017 on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
What are the essential ingredients of ugali
The basic recipe uses only two or three ingredients, which explains the diversity of regional variants depending on the cereal used (maize, millet or sorghum) and the grind available.
- white maize flour
- water
- salt
- butter, optional, to bind the paste
What to know about the ugali
Ugali is a firm paste of white maize flour cooked in water and salted, a staple food of East and southern Africa. It is eaten with the right hand: a portion is taken, rolled into a ball, then used to scoop up the sauce, stew or vegetables served with it. Depending on the country, it is called posho in Uganda, nsima in Malawi and Zambia, sadza in Zimbabwe or pap in South Africa. In Malawi, nsima has been on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage since 2017.
Frequently asked questions about ugali
What is ugali called in other African countries?
It is called posho in Uganda, nsima in Malawi and Zambia (inscribed in 2017 on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list), sadza in Zimbabwe or even pap in South Africa: more than a hundred local names refer to this same cereal paste.
How is ugali traditionally eaten?
It is eaten with the right hand: a portion is taken, rolled into a ball, then used to scoop up the sauce, stew or vegetables served alongside it, without cutlery.
Where can I find the ingredients for ugali in France?
NKOSI offers a selection of dry and grocery products from East Africa on nkosiagro.com and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
