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Sorghum Bread (Isinkwa Samabele)

Sorghum Bread (Isinkwa Samabele). Enjoy the rich, comforting flavors that make this dish a timeless favorite.
Imprimer la recette Pin Recipe
Type de plat Side Dish
Cuisine South African
Portions 6 people

Ingrédients
  

  • 4 cups sorghum meal (samabele)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2–3 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 tbsp sugar (not traditional, but helps fermentation a bit) (optional)
  • 1 tbsp oil (for softness) (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Mix:
    In a large bowl, mix sorghum meal and salt.
    Gradually add lukewarm water until you get a thick but stirrable dough (thicker than cake batter, looser than stiff dough).
    Stir in your starter if using one.
  • Ferment:
    Cover with a cloth (not airtight).
    Leave in a warm place for 12–24 hours.
    It should smell sour and yeasty, with small bubbles. This sourness is key.
  • Prepare for cooking:
    Stir the fermented dough gently.
    If it’s too thick, add a little water. If too thin, add a bit more sorghum meal.
  • Cook (traditional ways):
    Option A: Steamed (most traditional)
    Grease a heatproof bowl or pot.
    Pour in the dough.
    Steam over boiling water for 1½–2 hours until firm and cooked through.
    Option B: Baked
    Preheat oven to 180°C.
    Pour dough into a greased loaf tin.
    Bake for 60–75 minutes.
    It’s done when a skewer comes out mostly clean and the top feels firm.
  • Rest:
    Let it cool slightly before cutting. It firms up as it rests.
Keyword Warm
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