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Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa, known as “The Warm Heart of Africa” for its welcoming people. Though not typically thought of as a culinary destination, Malawi food is distinct and it showcases local crops, especially corn, as well as the fresh fish caught from Lake Malawi.
Visitors to Malawi will find a variety of traditional dishes that provide tasty ways to experience Malawian culture. Here are 10 delicious foods to try on your visit.
10 Delicious Traditional Malawi Food to Try on Your Visit.
Nsima
Nsima is considered the national dish of Malawi. It is a thick porridge made from maize flour and water. To make nsima, the maize flour is added to boiling water and stirred continuously until it reaches a dough-like consistency. It is typically formed into oval shapes with the hands and served as the main starch accompaniment to stews and vegetables.
Nsima has a mild corn flavor and a dense texture almost like stiff mashed potatoes. It is eaten with hand, rolling a small ball of nsima with the fingers to scoop up stew or vegetables. Nsima is served at virtually every meal in Malawi, lunch and dinner, in homes and restaurants. It is affordable, filling, and delicious comfort food.
For a true local experience, try nsima at small family-run restaurants, known as “tuck shops” in Malawi. Order a plate of nsima with ndiwo, relish, which usually consists of beef, chicken, fish, beans, or leafy greens stewed with tomatoes. Scoop up bites of nsima with ndiwo for a tasty, traditional meal.
Chambo
Chambo is the unofficial national fish of Malawi. It is a species of tilapia that lives in Lake Malawi and is prized for its flaky, mild flesh. Chambo can be served grilled, fried, or in stews. It has a delicate, sweet flavor.
One of the most popular Malawi food is chambo usipa, which is chambo fish served with usipa, small sardine-like fish from the lake. The usipa provides extra flavor to the chambo. Other common preparations include chambo grilled with lemon butter or chambo stewed in a spicy coconut milk sauce.
For the freshest chambo in Malawi, look for restaurants near Lake Malawi or order chambo at a lodge with its own fishing boats on the lake. Chambo is considered a national delicacy that every visitor should try.
Lake Malawi Usipa
Usipa are tiny, sardine-like fish that are caught in abundance from Lake Malawi. They have soft, delicate flesh with small bones. Usipa are packed with nutrients and are an important source of protein for Malawians.
Usipa are prepared several ways. They can be dried and eaten as a snack, similar to dried fish. They are also cooked into relishes and stews to provide extra flavor. A common preparation is usipa ndiwo, which is usipa stewed with tomatoes, onions, and spices. The small fish almost dissolve into the sauce, which is eaten with nsima.
For the freshest usipa, look for vendors near Lake Malawi selling recently caught fish. Usipa have a unique salty, fishy flavor that adds richness to Malawi food.
Kondowole
Kondowole is a traditional porridge from northern Malawi made of cassava flour, unlike nsima which uses maize. The cassava is soaked, dried, and ground to a powder to make the flour.
To make kondowole, cassava flour is whisked into boiling water until smooth and thickened. It has a gummy, sticky texture and a subtle nutty flavor from the cassava. Kondowole is typically served with fish, meat, or vegetable side dishes, like nsima.
Kondowole is ideal for trying cassava, a staple crop in Malawi. Look for kondowole in local eateries in northern Malawi, where it is most popular and considered soul food.
Zitumbuwa
For a tasty Malawian snack, try zitumbuwa, also known as banana fritters. Slices of banana are dipped in a batter of maize flour, sugar, and spices then deep fried until golden brown. Zitumbuwa have a sweet, soft interior encased in a crispy fried exterior.
Zitumbuwa are sold by vendors at markets and bus depots in Malawi as an affordable, filling snack. They make the perfect pick-me-up when exploring Malawian towns and cities.
The bananas most often used are a starchy, savory variety that taste almost like plantains. The batter adds a hint of spice and the frying gives zitumbuwa a delightful crunch. Enjoy them as a sweet treat or a meal on the go.
Mgaiwa Phala
For breakfast, try this Malawi food mgaiwa phala, a creamy maize porridge. It is made by cooking maize flour with water and milk until thickened. Mgaiwa phala has a smooth, pudding-like texture and subtle corn flavor.
Locals typically top it with more milk and sugar or honey. It can also be served with slices of banana or papaya for added nutrition and sweetness. Mgaiwa phala provides sustaining energy to start the day.
Rice phala is a variation that uses rice flour in place of maize. Both make a warming, nourishing breakfast. Mgaiwa phala can be found at hotels and restaurants for breakfast in Malawi.
Kachumbari
Kachumbari is a bright, fresh tomato and onion salad that accompanies meals throughout East Africa. The Malawian version combines chopped ripe tomatoes, white onion, and hot chili peppers for a balancing sweet, savory and spicy kick.
The juices mingle and soak into the vegetables, concentrating the flavors. Kachumbari makes a tasty paired with nsima, rice dishes, grilled meats, or curries. It adds a crunchy texture and burst of flavor to balance the starchiness of nsima.
Kachumbari is often served in little side bowls alongside main dishes in local Malawian restaurants. Make a meal complete by ordering kachumbari as your vegetable accompaniment to any Malawi food.
Thobwa
Thobwa, another Malawi food is a nutritious and energy-boosting drink made from fermented maize and millet or sorghum. It has a smooth, creamy texture similar to a thin porridge and a tangy flavor from the fermentation process.
Natural yeasts convert the grains’ sugars into lactic acid, giving thobwa a pleasant sourness. Unfiltered, it has a cloudy look.
Thobwa can be consumed as a non-alcoholic beverage, but when left to ferment for 4-6 days, it becomes mildly alcoholic. Thobwa is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals and is consumed any time of day for sustenance.
Look for thobwa sold on the streets in used water or soda bottles. It offers energizing nourishment on the go. The traditional drink provides probiotics as well for gut health.
Chibuku
If you want to try a local Malawian beer, order Chibuku. It is brewed from sorghum and maize, giving it a light, dry flavor and a pinkish-brown color. Chibuku has a thinner consistency and lower alcohol content than commercial beers.
Chibuku is a beloved every-man’s beer in Malawi because it is affordably priced. Locals often just call it “shake shake” due to the noise the beer makes when the sorghum grains settle and the bottle is shaken to remix the contents before drinking.
Chibuku has a tangy, yeasty flavor with malty undertones. It is typically served very cold in bottles. For a refreshing, local beer-drinking experience in Malawi, order Chibuku.
*Not for sale to persons under the age of 18. Please enjoy responsibly.
Maheu
To quench your thirst on a hot day, cool off with a chilled maheu. This sweet beverage is made from maize flour and sugar cooked with water and fermented. Maheu has a tangy, yogurt-like flavor with subtle corn sweetness.
It has a thin consistency similar to a fruit smoothie. Maheu comes in a variety of fruit flavors such as banana, strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla, with vibrant fuchsia or purple hues.
Maheu contains nutrients from the maize and is naturally probiotic, making it a healthy refresher. It provides a boost of energy any time. Maheu can be found at most grocery stores, roadside shops, and restaurants in Malawi.
What Is Malawi Main Source of Food?
Malawi’s main source of food is agriculture, specifically corn, cassava, sweet potatoes, and rice. Since Malawi is a largely rural, agricultural society, most Malawi food comes from small family farms rather than large commercial operations. About 90% of Malawians are subsistence farmers who grow crops both for their families to eat and to sell at local markets.
The staple crop is corn, also called maize locally. It thrives in Malawi’s climate and soils and provides the main starch in the national dish, nsima. Nsima is a thick porridge made from corn flour and water. Cassava is another important carb source, made into flour to cook the northern dish kondowole. Sweet potatoes and rice round out the basic starches in the Malawian diet.
In addition to starches, Malawians grow fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, onions, pumpkins, leafy greens, bananas, mangoes and papayas. Another essential Malawian food source is freshwater fish from Lake Malawi, which provides chambo, usipa, utaka and other nutritious fish. Meat from cattle, goats, chickens and pigs raised on local farms also contributes valuable protein.
What Are the Eating Habits of Malawi?
The eating habits of Malawi center around the staple nsima, a thick maize porridge. Nsima is eaten at virtually every meal. It is served as the carb accompaniment to stews, vegetables, beans, fish, and meat. Nsima is scooped up by hand, rolling small balls with the fingers to pick up bites of the relish. Other starches like rice, potatoes, cassava and sweet potatoes are also common.
Malawians traditionally eat two larger meals per day, lunch and dinner, with snacks like fresh fruits, teas, and mandazi doughnuts. Breakfast is typically light, such as tea, bread, or phala porridge. Fish like chambo and usipa are prized for their flavor and nutrients. Meals feature local crops like corn, peanuts, beans, and leafy greens. Eating is communal, with everyone sharing from common bowls and plates.
What Is the Most Eaten Food in Malawi?
The most eaten Malawi food is nsima, a thick porridge made from maize (corn) flour. Nsima is served at virtually every meal in Malawi, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is considered the national dish and staple food.
Nsima has a doughy texture and mild corn taste. It is eaten by hand, pinching off small pieces to scoop up accompanying stews, vegetables, beans, fish, and meat. Nsima provides carbohydrates, calories, and filling satisfaction. It is affordable for most Malawians.
Experience the Warm Heart of Africa Through Its Food
The cuisine of Malawi highlights the country’s agriculture and landscapes, from corn and cassava to chambo from Lake Malawi. Traditional dishes like nsima, kondowole, and zitumbuwa provide staple starches, while stews, curries, and greens add flavors. Thobwa, Chibuku, and maheu quench thirst.
Sampling these local Malawian specialties lets you taste the spirit and culture of the country. The flavors reflect the Warm Heart of Africa. With its welcoming people and distinctive cuisine, Malawi promises memorable culinary encounters for every visitor.
