Zimbabwe Food

Zimbabwe food is amazingly varied catering for people from different backgrounds including religion, cultural beliefs, social setting and dietary concerns. The majority of people in Zimbabwe which are mostly Shona and Ndebele speaking population of the country eat sadza and vegetable relish.

Sadza is special thick porridge made from maize meal or corn meal and is the staple diet of most Zimbabweans across the social divide. Sadza is usually accompanied by beef stew or chicken stew or just some green vegetables grown in backyard gardens in homes.

Rice and grilled or stewed chicken is also an important part of the Zimbabwean traditional food mix. For most rural folk this type of a meal is a special meal mostly associated with times of celebration such as Christmas, birthdays and weddings. Rice in itself is a mark of celebration and special consideration.[pictured - a typical Zimbabwe western meal.]

Other members of the Zimbabwean society find a meal in other cuisines catering for different religions such as Moslem and others. Sea food is available in Zimbabwe but is not popular amongst the generality of the population because of the relatively higher cost of the ingredients such as prawns.

Fish is however an important dietary mix for most Zimbabweans. Fish mostly comes from inland lakes and dams with some coming as far away as Beira and Maputo in Mozambique. Zimbabwe also boasts of Lake Kariba an enormous source of fish.

Potatoes are also an important  source of food in Zimbabwean households. Potatoes can be made into mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or fries or chips as they are better known in Zimbabwe.

A typical meal in Zimbabwe has traces of onions, salt, carrots, peas, green pepper, spices or tomatoes.

Most cities in Zimbabwe have Chinese take-away restaurants apart from fast food outlets such as Chicken Inn, Nandos and others.It is possible amongst the various types of Zimbabwe food as a visitor to find the western type of food as well as local traditional food. The state of the Zimbabwe economy has impacted negatively on how much people eat out.

Peanut butter is an important ingredient in preparing a typical Zimbabwean dish. It is usually mixed with green vegetables into a paste that is consumed with sadza. this is commonly known as muriwo une dovi.

Zimbabweans in urban areas have also a special type of Zimbabwe food that is mostly enjoyed during weekends. This is braaiing or barbecuing or gochi-gochi in local language. This involves grilling huge portions of beef and pork chops to enjoy with drinks. Usually people eat whilst standing and exchanging jokes and stories. This is typical of the capital of Zimbabwe, Harare.

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