~196 cal · 4g protein · 44g carbs · 2g fat (estimated, per serving)
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Smooth maize-soya porridge steaming in a bowl
🇲🇼 Lilongwe
Phala is the soft cousin of nsima, Malawi's stiff maize staple. Cooked loose and often enriched with soya flour for extra protein, it is the porridge that starts school days and market mornings across the country, sweetened with a little sugar and eaten piping hot.
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Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
Ingredients
Serves 4 —
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1 cup maize meal
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1/4 cup soya flour
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5 cups water
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3 tbsp sugar, to taste
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1 pinch pinch of salt
Instructions
1
Whisk the maize meal and soya flour into 1.5 cups of the cold water to a smooth, lump-free slurry.
2
Bring the remaining water to a boil with the salt in a heavy saucepan.
3
Pour in the slurry while whisking hard, then lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring often.
4
Sweeten to taste and serve hot, adding a little water if it thickens beyond a pourable porridge.
Lilongwe household breakfast cooking.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
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Lilongwe. A capital where nsima meets lake chambo.
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Malawi. The "warm heart of Africa," built on nsima and chambo.
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Africa. Fifty-four countries of tagines, stews, and fire-kissed grills.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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