Amasi

Amasi (in Ndebele, Zulu and Xhosa), emasi (in Swazi), karringmelk (in Afrikaans), or mafi (in Sesotho), is a thick curdled sour fermented milk product that is sometimes compared to cottage cheese or plain yogurt but has a much stronger flavor. A staple food in pre-colonial times, it is now a popular snack in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

== Preparation == Amasi is traditionally prepared by storing unpasteurised cow's milk in a calabash container (, ) or hide sack to allow it to ferment. A calabash is smoked, then milk from the cow is put in a skin bag or bucket, where it ferments for 1 - 5 days, and acquires a sharp acidic taste. The fermenting milk develops a watery substance called ; the remainder is amasi. This thick liquid is mostly poured over mealie meal porridge called pap (). It is traditionally served in a clay pot and it can also be drunk.