Zambia’s national dish is Nshima, a maize flour porridge with several different side dishes!

NSHIMA

The main dish of Zambia’s cuisine, Nshima is a porridge-like dish made from maize flour. feito a partir de farinha de milho. It is the Zambian staple food, cooked in practically all homes and served in most restaurants. It is usually served as a white porridge or soft pancake, usually with two side dishes: a plate with chicken or fish, and another one with cabbage and other vegetables.

The dish is so enmeshed in the local daily life that we often hear Zambians complain when “they haven’t eaten all day” — it doesn’t matter if they’ve had some fruit or breakfast, only Nshima counts as a full meal!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

To taste this typical dish in Lusaka, you must head to the Town Centre Market, where you will find several street food establishments that will accommodate you. If you don’t like to eat outside, you will find several restaurants in the city centre that serve Nshima with several different side dishes and seasonings.