US: Zimbbawean Rumbi Kangira-Mate brings sadza nemuriwo to New York university

By news.stonybrook.edu

NEW YORK: The Stony Brook University (SBU) Eats team recently welcomed Rumbidzai “Rumbi” Kangira-Mate ’25, a Master of Social Work student, to the Cooking from Home programme.

She joined Sous Chef Juan Garcia in preparing a cherished Zimbabwean recipe to share with guests at East Side Dining.

Sadza Nemuriwo Unenyama is a hearty blend of beef stew, maizemeal and collard greens. It offers an authentic taste of Zimbabwean cuisine, inviting diners to savour authentic flavours and feel a deeper cultural connection.

The Cooking from Home programme brings beloved recipes from students’ homelands to the SBU Eats kitchen, where they collaborate with chefs to prepare these unique dishes at campus dining locations.

By sharing these meals, students experience familiar flavours and share the ingredients and stories of their cultures with their peers, creating a vibrant, multicultural dining experience.

Garcia met with Kangira-Mate to review the dish’s ingredients, preparation steps and cultural significance.

To ensure authenticity, they cooked together before the recipe’s debut, allowing Garcia to fully understand and incorporate the unique elements of Kangira-Mate’s recipe.

During their collaboration, Kangira-Mate emphasized the importance of preparing the maizemeal, demonstrating a distinctive whipping technique with a wooden spoon to achieve the perfect “fluff” in the mixture.

Garcia welcomed the opportunity to learn these specialized culinary techniques while gaining a deeper appreciation for Zimbabwean culture.

Sadza, a maizemeal staple across Zimbabwe, is typically prepared by mixing white cornmeal with water until it reaches a thick, smooth consistency, creating a versatile base that can be enjoyed with various toppings.

Kangira’s version, served with a savoury beef stew and greens, reflects her mother’s addition of soup for extra comfort and flavour. To keep the meal authentic, Kangira encouraged fellow Seawolves to add their own touches, like chili or curry powder, making it a customizable dish that brings joy, gathering around a shared meal.

Kangira-Mate, originally from Zimbabwe and raised with two sisters, lived in Namibia before arriving in the U.S. in August 2023. She shared the reasons behind her decision to prepare Sadza Nemuriwo Unenyama.

“This dish reminds me of home because it’s a meal that families share two or three times a week,” she said.

“Food brings people together—it’s about sharing and creating bonds within a close-knit community. When someone visits your home, offering food is a way of showing you care and a gesture of unity.”

Kangira-Mate’s involvement in the Cooking from Home programme embodies SBU Eats’ mission to celebrate cultural diversity and foster a sense of community.