Trending ingredient: the sorghum revival
It’s been in our kitchens for generations, but sorghum isn’t stuck in the past. From ting ya mabele to Black Forest brownie sundaes, this grain is getting the glow-up it deserves. It’s versatile, proudly local and full of character. In Heritage month, we’re putting it in the spotlight.
Sorghum’s South African roots
Sorghum has long held its own in South African kitchens. It’s known by many names: mabele in SeSotho languages, amabele in Nguni, or just simply “sorghum grain” to supermarket shoppers. It’s been a staple for generations: cooked into porridge, fermented into ting, brewed into traditional beer, and passed down from pot to pot.
In Tswana and Sotho homes, ting ya mabele – a tangy, fermented porridge – still shows up on the table, especially when something comforting and familiar is needed. And in both Nguni and Sotho cultures, sorghum is used to brew traditional beer: umqombothi or bojalwa ba setso, respectively. These brews are typically made by older women using a mix of sorghum malt and meal, and left to ferment in large clay or enamel containers. The beer is often shared during weddings, initiation ceremonies, homecomings or when acknowledging ancestors – it’s as much a social connector as it is a drink.
More than just tradition, sorghum has always been practical, too: drought-resistant, nutritious and affordable. This is why it’s been grown, cooked and respected across southern Africa for centuries.
Sorghum in the now
For something that’s been part of our food story for so long, sorghum is still finding new ways to show off. In the hands of chefs, creatives and experimental home cooks, it’s gone beyond porridge and has been used in the kinds of dishes that turn heads.
At Wolfgat in Paternoster, chef Kobus van der Merwe has taken sorghum far beyond its comfort zone. One standout dish featured whole-kernel sorghum aged in sage ash until jet black, and plated like caviar alongside fish. He’s also used sorghum flour in bread made with sweet potato and local seaweed. Even the desserts get involved: diners have been served a warm sorghum porridge paired with beer ice cream and wild herbs.
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Studio H’s 100+ Flavours project also paid tribute to the grain by spotlighting its emotional and cultural depth, particularly in fermented form. Ting was recognised not just for its sharp, distinctive flavour, but for what it carries: identity, ancestral memory and resilience. In their words, it’s “a taste that makes your blood remember”.
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Zandile Finxa, award‑winning content creator, product developer, chef and founder of the #sorghumagenda, is on a mission to shine the spotlight on this ancient grain and its limitless potential. As they explain, “I dedicated my time to trying to understand the grain, but also to taking everyone on the journey of trying to understand it and why it’s become such a silent commodity in our everyday.”
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How to cook with sorghum
Ready to get hands on? Sorghum’s versatility means it can be fermented, savoury, sweet, or something delightfully unexpected. Try these sorghum recipes:
- Ting ya mabele
sorghum breakfast porridge here
2. Creamy cauliflower-and-sorghum risotto
cauliflower sorghum risotto here
3. Crispy sorghum balls
4. Queen Finxa’s Black Forest sorghum brownie sundae
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