Xima
Vegetarian
Mozambique's stiff white maize porridge, cooked until thick and smooth and eaten by hand with matapa, stews and grilled fish.
Xima is a Mozambican side dish, ready in about 22 minutes and made with cornmeal. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.
- Prep
- 2 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 22 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 272
Method
Step 1
Bring 800 ml of the water to the boil. Mix 100 g of the maize meal (opens in a new tab) with the remaining cold water to a smooth paste and whisk it into the boiling water. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until like thin porridge.
- 7 min
- medium heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels Step 2
Add the rest of the maize meal (opens in a new tab) a handful at a time, beating hard with a wooden spoon after each addition until thick and smooth.
- 5 min
- medium-low heat
Step 3
Cover and cook on low heat, then beat again and press against the side of the pan to remove any lumps. It is ready when it pulls away cleanly from the pan.
- 8 min
- low heat
Food safety: Thick porridge spits; stir with a long wooden spoon.
Step 4
Shape into a mound with a wet bowl or spoon and serve hot.
- 1 min
How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels
About this dish
- Origin
- Southern and East Africa · Origin uncertainPart of the family of maize porridges (ugali, nsima, nshima, sadza, pap) eaten across the region; xima is the Mozambican name.Also popular in Mozambique
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Side dishes · Porridge & cereals
- Cooking method
- Boiled
- Taste
- mild, earthy
- Diet
- Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style - Good for
- Budget-friendly · Everyday
- Cook more with
- Cornmeal
- Techniques
- Boiling
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
272 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 325 g · recipe makes 4
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 9%
- Carbohydrate 83%
- Fat 9%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 272 kcal | 84 kcal |
| Protein | 6.1 g | 1.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 57.7 g | 17.7 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 52.2 g | 16.1 g |
| Sugars | 0.5 g | 0.1 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 5.5 g | 1.7 g |
| Fat | 2.7 g | 0.8 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.4 g | 0.1 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 31 mg | 10 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0.1 g | 0 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 215 mg
- Calcium
- 30 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 100 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 8 µg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 19 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Optional ingredients are not included: salt.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Starting with a thin slurry is the secret to lump-free xima.
Common mistakes
- Taking it off the heat too soon — undercooked xima tastes raw; it should pull cleanly from the pan.
Serve with
- Serve with matapa, caril de amendoim or grilled fish.
Storage
- Keeps 2 days wrapped in the fridge.
Reheating
- Slice and pan-fry, or steam until hot.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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