Amahewu is the Zimbabwean fermented maize drink — a smooth, slightly sour, beige-grey beverage made by fermenting thin maize-meal porridge overnight. Served cold and slightly thick, it is the refreshing, energy-giving drink of the Ndebele and Shona, carried to the field in bottles, drunk at every gathering.
Amahewu (Ndebele; mahewu in Shona) is the fermented maize drink of Zimbabwe, made in every household from leftover mealie-meal porridge. It is the cousin of Zambian maheu and South African amahewu, but in Zimbabwe it is distinctly home-fermented and often flavored with a little sugar or malt. The Ndebele of Matabeleland make it thicker and tarter than the Shona version. It is the fieldworkers' drink — refreshing, calorie-dense, slightly alcoholic if left long.
A tall glass of thick, pale, slightly grainy liquid, cold from the clay pot. The taste is sour and malty, with a clean lactic tang and the sweetness of corn. A pinch of sugar is stirred in. Drink it cold, in big gulps, after a day in the sun. It fills and refreshes at once.
Cooked thin maize-meal porridge is left to ferment 24-48 hours at warm room temperature. Wild lactobacillus (from the air or from a starter of previous amahewu) converts the corn sugars to lactic acid, giving the sourness. A little malt flour (from sprouted sorghum or millet) can be added to speed fermentation. The drink keeps only 2-3 days — beyond that it becomes alcoholic.
Variations
Some add malt to start the fermentation faster; some flavor it with chibage (sweet corn); the Shona version is thinner than the Ndebele.
On the Palate
Where Amahewu sits in the Zimbabwean flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
7 steps · 30 min active + 23 hours 30 min waiting
- 112 min
Bring 1.5 liters water to a boil; whisk in 200 g white maize meal; cook 10 minutes to a thin porridge.
- 220 min
Cool to lukewarm; pour into a clean clay pot or large jar.
- 32 min
Whisk in 1 tbsp sorghum or millet malt flour (optional, speeds fermentation).
- 42160 min
Cover with a cloth; leave at warm room temperature 24-36 hours, until sour and slightly thick.
Watch outIt's ready when it smells sharply sour and has thickened slightly — go past a day or two and it starts turning alcoholic instead of just sour.
- 53 min
Stir well; thin with cold water to a drinkable consistency.
- 63 min
Sweeten with sugar to taste.
- 7180 min
Chill thoroughly; serve cold. Stir before pouring.
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