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Motogo

Motogo: soft soured sorghum porridge from Botswana

In Botswana, motogo is the soft breakfast porridge made from mabele (sorghum meal), stirred in water until smooth and then soured with a splash of madila or maas, thick cultured milk, and sweetened with sugar. It has a gentle tang and a slightly earthy, nutty flavour, quite unlike oat porridge. The common mistake is adding the sour milk while it is still bubbling, which splits it; take the pot off the heat first. Chef's tip: for an even smoother motogo, soak the sorghum meal in the cold water for 20 minutes before cooking.
Total time
28 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Mix 4 oz fine sorghum meal with 1 cup cold water to a smooth paste.

  2. Step 2: Bring 2 ½ cups water and 1 pinch salt to the boil, lower the heat, and whisk in the paste. Stir constantly until it thickens, about 3 minutes.

    3 min
  3. Step 3: Cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until soft and smooth and the meal no longer tastes raw. Add a little hot water if it becomes stiff; it should be a soft, spoonable porridge.

    20 min
  4. Step 4: Take off the heat and stir in ¾ cup sour milk (maas) or buttermilk and 3 tbsp sugar. Serve warm, with more sugar to taste.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
210 kcal
Protein
6 g
Carbs
38 g
Fat
4 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does motogo take?
About 28 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of sour milk (maas) or buttermilk?
Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
What can I use instead of sugar?
Caster sugar, same amount.

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