Nsima with Ndiwo (Malawian Maize Porridge and Relish)

Ingredients

• 2 cups white maize (corn) flour
• 3 to 4 cups water
• 1 lb leafy greens (collard, mustard, or rape leaves), chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons ground roasted peanuts (optional)
• Salt, to taste

Before you cook

• Chop the leafy greens into thin ribbons.
• Dice the tomatoes and onion.
• Measure out 2 cups of maize flour and set aside about 1/2 cup of it separately for the slurry.

Steps

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a heavy pot.
2. Mix the reserved 1/2 cup of maize flour with a little cold water in a bowl to make a smooth, thin paste.
3. Pour the paste into the boiling water, stirring constantly.
4. Cook this thin porridge for 2 minutes, stirring, until it starts to thicken.
5. Add the remaining maize flour a little at a time, beating hard with a wooden spoon after each addition.
6. Keep beating and folding the porridge over low heat until it turns stiff, smooth, and pulls away from the sides of the pot, about 8 minutes.
7. Cover the pot and let the nsima steam over low heat for 3 minutes.
8. Uncover the pot and beat the nsima once more until smooth.
9. Wet a serving spoon, scoop a mound of nsima, and turn it out onto a plate, repeating to shape the rest.
10. Cover the shaped nsima to keep it warm and set it aside.
11. Heat the oil in a separate pan over medium heat.
12. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft.
13. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, mashing them a little, until they form a sauce.
14. Add the chopped greens to the pan.
15. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, stirring once, until the greens are tender.
16. Stir in the ground peanuts, if using, along with a splash of water.
17. Season the ndiwo with salt and simmer uncovered for 2 more minutes.
18. Serve the nsima alongside the ndiwo for scooping.