Hi everyone! I’m Nick, a Peace Corps volunteer living in the beautiful, tiny Kingdom of Eswatini. Here, food is a massive source of joy, popping up everywhere from bustling bus stations to family gatherings where the "kitchen" is actually an outdoor fire and a set of iron cauldrons. While we use stoves in the United States, Swazis master the art of the flame to cook their staple: maize. This is not the sweet corn you’re used to, though!. It’s a tough, nutrient-dense powerhouse that forms the backbone of almost every meal in the country.
Out of all the ways to eat maize, I dove headfirst into incwancwa (pronounced with those tricky clicks: in-click-wan-click-wa, click here for pronunciation). While many people are familiar with the thick, doughy pap served at dinner, incwancwa is its fermented, breakfast-loving cousin. It’s essentially a sour maize porridge that’s widely available on street corners every morning, served up in big, steaming bowls to help people start their day.
