Bota — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A smooth, thin porridge made from maize meal cooked with water or milk, sweetened with sugar or peanut butter, the standard Zimbabwean breakfast.

Ingredients

1 Mix maize meal with one cup of cold water in a bowl to form a smooth paste with no lumps.
2 Bring remaining three cups of water or milk to a boil in a pot over medium-high heat.
3 Slowly pour the maize paste into the boiling liquid, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
4 Reduce heat to low and cook for eight to ten minutes, stirring frequently to prevent lumps.
5 The porridge should be thin enough to drink from a cup but thick enough to coat the spoon.
6 Stir in sugar and peanut butter if desired. Serve hot in cups or bowls for breakfast.

Did You Know?

Many Zimbabweans say they cannot start their day without a cup of bota, and missing it affects their entire morning routine.