FUFU AND LIGHT SOUP

The Royal Akan Food.

THE FOOD

Fufu is believed to originate from Ghana, by the Asante, the Akuapem, the Guans, the Akyem, the Bono and the Fante people of the Akan ethnic group of Ghana. Today, it also features in Togolese cuisine, Guinean cuisine, Cameroonian cuisine, as well as Nigerian cuisine. As with any culture, food is central to Ghanaian life regardless of where you are in the world. Fufu is a very nice food liked by most people but mostly the Ashantis. Fufu is often made in the traditional Ghanaian and Nigeria method by mixing and pounding separate equal portions of cassava and green plantain thoroughly with water.

PREPARATION PROCESSOne could pound fufu for about 30mins, whilst another navigates the mixture to achieve a smooth texture. Everybody loves fufu but nobody wants to be tasked with the job of pounding it. Fufu is mostly enjoyed with light soup and assorted meat.

Ingredients include tomotoes, onions, pepper, ginger, garlic  meat, spices, cassava and plantain.

LIGHT SOUP PREPARATION

Get your assorted meat and apply blended onions with garlic and ginger and apply your seasoning and steam. Boil the tomatoes, onion and pepper. After several minutes, blend it and sieve it on the assorted meat and stir. And your seasoning and stir.

FUFU PREPARATION

Get fresh cassava or cocoyam and plantain. Peel off and boil with an aversge water of 500ml for a soft fufu or 400ml for a firmer fufu. Boil until both cassava and plantain become soft. After that, pour the remaining water from the boiled plantain and cassava. Get your mortar and your pistil and a bowl of water to help you pick the hot cassava and plantain into the mortar. Mostly the plantain is pounded first. Pound to achieve a soft texture. Put your pounded plantain in a bowl, and, and start pounding the cassava. After attaining a soft texture, mix the pounded plantain to the pounded cassava and pound till you achieve a uniform mixture. What is worth noting is that people who want very soft fufu add more water in the process of pounding while those who want a firmer fufu add less water in the pounding process. Dish out your fufu and add your light soup and you are good to go.

BENEFITS

Fufu offers a natural body building opportunity. It is said that before gyms came to town, fufu was producing machomen for free. Also related to its exercising benefits, some communities encourage pregnant women in their last trimester to pound fufu. It is believed that this ensures easy and short labour.

CHALLENGES 

Fufu is nice to enjoy but the preparation is very tiring hence some people opt for the neat fufu and others which is easier to prepare.

Written by: Vanessa Otoo

TUO-ZAFI

THE BEST NORTHERN DELICACY 

THE FOOD,TUO ZAAFI

Tuo Zaafi is one of the healthy dishes you can find in Ghana. Mostly eaten by people from the Northern part of Ghana, tuo zaafi is also very nutritious and easy to digest. Tuo Zaafi is also known as “saakbo” in other languages. Tuo Zaafi has gained popularity not only in Ghana but many African countries including Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. These days, restaurants have included it in their menu list which shows how much this dish has been widely accepted by Ghanaians from various regions. Tuo Zaafi is made with corn flour and millet flour and doesn’t need a special kind of skill or energy to be able to prepare.

Ingredients such as ayoyo leaves, salt peter (Potassium nitrate)

powdered fish, powdered okra, dawadawa, pepper, onions, fish seasoning, all-purpose spices, meat (Beef), palm oil, tomatoes, salmon, herrings, vassava flour, corn flour etc are essential for the preparation  of the cuisine.

METHOD OF PREPARATION

Thinking of preparing one at home? First, chop the ayoyo leaves into smaller sizes boil water, add chopped onion, powdered fish, powdered okro and dawadawa. After 5 minutes add ayoyo leaves and salt peter don’t cover, stir continuously until the ingredients become very soft. Add salt and seasoning. Allow to simmer for 3 minutes and the soup is ready. Cut meat into desirable sizes. Wash and put meat in a big saucepan over moderate heat. Blend onion, ginger, garlic and add to meat. Add salt and seasoning and cover meat to steam for 5-10 minutes.

Heat pan over medium high heat until hot and then add the olive oil. Then add the chicken. Fry on one side until browned and then flip. Brown the second side and then transfer the meat to a bowl. Add chopped onion and garlic and salt until tender and starting to brown. Add grinded pepper, tomato puree and stir intermittently. Wash salmon and herrings. Then add to the stew. After 6-10 minutes, add spices and allow to cook. Taste for salt and add some chopped onions.Finally add fried meat and allow to simmer for 3 minutes.

Fetch some corn flour and add cold water. Then mix thoroughly to form a solution. Boil enough water and add corn flour to cook for 5-10 minutes. Fetch some of the solution into a separate bowl. Mix dry corn dough and cassava dough and Add mixture bit by bit to the boiling corn dough and stir thoroughly to prevent any lumps. Add the corn dough solution you fetched aside to the Tuo Zaafi to make it soft and stir. After 15-20 minutes of stirring the Tuo Zaafi, you turn off the heat. Serve Tuo Zaafi with stew and soup.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Tuo Zaafi is basically a carbohydrate food. So to have a balanced meal, serve it with Ayoyo soup, which contains some vitamins, minerals, fat and protein or with Palm nut soup, green leaves, groundnut, spinach etc.

Written BY: GRACE ESI BAIDEN DCS 20692

KOKONTE AND GROUNDNUT SOUP

THE FOOD  

Kokonte is a meal which is eaten in some parts of Africa like Togo, Ghana and others. In Ghana, to be precise, Kokonte is eaten by most of the ethnic groups like the Ga, Akan, Hausa and so on. It's actually eaten best with groundnut soup Most people like to refer to Kokonte as "Face The Wall" because it was initially associated with the low class, and one wouldn't want anyone see him it and also a popular term used by the Ghanaian locals. Kokonte usually is brown, grey and deep green depending on the type of ethnic group that prepares the dish. Kokonte is usually prepared out of dried cassava or yam then later grinded into powdering form in a cornmeal to have your complete Kokonte powder.

INGREDIENTS AND PREPARATION PROCESS 

 Ingredients such as  cassava flour, salt, water are needed  to make the meal. To start, one needs to place a saucepan on fire with water which is allowed to reach a boiling point. You then pour your cassava flour and stir gently till it's well mixed. You then paddle very well to prevent lamps .There should be another boiling water which will be poured on the Konkonte on fire. The hot water is then poured on the Konkonte and we'll paddled again  to get a uniformed mixture.

Groundnut soup is one of the favorite soups used to square up the Kokonte meal among Ghanaians. It is not only tasty but also healthy. It is a common meal among many people in this country but due to its amazing taste, many individuals around the globe have learnt how to cook it. 

Groundnut soup or peanut soup is a thick soup usually prepared by cooking peanuts with several ingredients. It is a staple food among Africans especially in West Africa. Often, people prefer eating it with carbohydrates such as fufu in Ghana.  

Ingredients such as half cup of groundnut paste, medium-sized onions, large tomatoes (must be very ripe), 500g of meat chopped into small pieces (can be chicken, fish or beef), 2L of water (approximately 8 glasses), salt, spices, pepper paste,1 stock cube are needed  for the preparation  of the soup.

PREPARATION PROCESS FOR GROUNDNUT SOUP

Put the chopped chicken and seasonings in a pot and mix thoroughly. Leave them to steam and from time to time, turn the food to ensure that all the contents are steamed properly. The time required to steam the food depends on the amount of heat used. It is recommended to use medium heat for around 10 minutes. Next, pour the groundnut paste in another pot and mix it with water. The mixture should be thick thus a considerable amount of water should be used. Heat the mixture while stirring until some oil starts forming. After the groundnut paste is ready, add water and mix thoroughly until it is light. Then add it to the steamed meat. Simmer the content. While simmering, add the onions and tomatoes without cutting them. You have to wash them well.

Once the content has simmered for a while, remove the onions and the tomatoes. Peel off the tomatoes, grind them and put them back to the mixture. It is often wise to use peeled tomatoes. You have to boil them first so that they can peel off easily. Grind the onions as well. Add the stock cube stirringly. Add salt.

CHALLENGES OF KOKONTE

Konkonte from it's processing is actually tedious it requires much attention to prevent sand and other particles from mixing with the dried cassava after it has been dried. Also when it comes to preparing it more strength and paddling is required to prevent lamps. Further more when it comes the  life span of Konkonte it can last for Two days. One must note that it should be eaten within the early hours of day to prevent indigestion. Preparing groundnut soup is time consuming compared to other soups and one should be very careful to make sure soup is well prepared before consumption  avoid stomach troubles.

BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONSUMPTION OF THE DELICACY  

First and foremost it has carbohydrate based food which gives energy and it's very affordable for both the rich and poor. Groundnut soup  contains protein and helps promote fertility because of the groundnut. Besides, it's one of the delicious soups in Ghana and everyone can give it a try. END.

WRITTEN BY  WENDY

GA KENKEY OR DORKUNU (STEAMED FERMENTED CORN DOUGH) RECIPE - THE IRRESISTABLE LOCAL DELICACY

PHOTO CREDIT: google.com

WHAT IS KENKEY?

Kenkey is a typical Ghanaian dish made from fermented white corn, which is widely consumed throughout the country by Ga people from southern Ghana. The Ga tribe calls it komi. The Fante tribe who lives in the center of the country calls it dokono. Kenkey is often accompanied by fried fish throughout West Africa where fishing is widely practiced and where fish are generally eaten fresh and fried or dried or smoked for better preservation.

People also add shito, a sauce made from smoked fish and raw vegetables such as fresh peppers that bring a lot of freshness. This makes a fairly complete dish. The acidity of kenkey goes very well with fried fish. It can be prepared in advance because it takes a long time to complete. This dish is emblematic of the cuisine of Ghana, it is consumed throughout the year. It is also the main fermented food of Ghanaian cuisine. Kenkey is so popular in Accra, the capital of Ghana, that there is even a kenkey festival held once a year where you can taste kenkey in various ways with fries, stews and salads.

HOW TO MAKE KENKEY?

The preparation of kenkey requires two days of fermentation, the preparation time in the kitchen is also important and therefore requires a little organization, so it is often prepared with the family. White cornmeal is combined with cornstarch. Water is gradually added at 100 F, until a smooth and homogeneous dough is obtained. The kenkey dough is then covered with a cloth and must ferment for two days in a warm place. The dough can then be divided in two and one of the two pieces will be cooked in a large pot of salt water brought to a boil.

It is essential to mix it regularly to prevent the dough from sticking to the edges of the pot. The second piece of dough is incorporated until the whole mixture is homogeneous. The kenkey dough can then be divided into portions and these can be rolled into balls and placed in dried corn leaves. The leaves must be tied together with a string to prevent them from opening under the effect of heat. The rest of the cooking consists in steaming for an hour and a half. The cooking water can also be consumed separately. Thus prepared, kenkey balls can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator and simply be steamed or placed in a microwave oven, or even frozen to be consumed later.

WHAT ARE THE VERSIONS OF KENKEY?

If kenkey is usually prepared from white cornmeal, it can also be made with dried corn kernels that are first soaked in water for several days to soften. They are then transported to a flour mill where they will be milled and processed into dough. It is this dough that will be fermented. In Accra, there are merchants selling it everywhere. The Fante people do not use dried corn husks to wrap kenkey but rather use plantain leaves.

Kenkey is also popular in neighboring countries, such as Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and western Benin, but it was also exported to Jamaica, where it is called dokono, and Guyana, where it is called konkee. In Trinidad, it is called paime. In korkey cuisine, it is generally used as an accompaniment to vegetables such as squash or plantains. In Ghana, kenkey can also replace bread to serve with stews of meat, fish or vegetables. It is excellent with an okra stew.

HOW IS IT SERVED?

Ga kenkey is usually served hot with red pepper sauce made of ground chili pepper, onions and tomatoes, as well as a black pepper sauce locally called shito. Fante kenkey is usually served warm with tomato gravy or palaver sauce. It may also go with any fish, poultry, or meat dish from Western Africa. In Ghana, guests are often served Fante kenkey with red pepper sauce and canned sardines or fried fish, especially if they have arrived unannounced or after the family's evening meals. 

CONCLUSION

Kenkey is one of the healthy local delicacies in Ghana. It doesn't have any side effects. It is affordable by folks from all walks of life. The water in which the kenkey is boiled serves as a drink when maize or corn husks are used as the wrapper for cooking the kenkey. This water is called "otinshi nu".

Written by Peter Nartey Martin - DCS 20726

AMPESI WITH GARDEN / EGGS STEW

THE INDIGINOUS FOOD OF THE BONOS

THE FOOD 

Ampesi is a traditional meal in the Ghanaian cuisine and is prepared with boiled yam, boiled plantain, boiled cocoyam or boiled cassava or a mix of these and is served with a spicy gravy or vegetable stew. The origin of Ampesi can be traced to the people of the Brong Ahafo region in Ghana. Most people enjoy Ampesi because it doesn't take long to prepare and you can even prepare the stew however you want it in an ansaka. This combination is a delicious way to lose weight. It is very easy to prepare but serves as a  healthy source of food. The delicacy is both consumed by the elites, the average and  health-conscious people.

PREPARATION PROCESS

Peel your yam and cut it into slice depending on the size you want. Wash and pour it into the boiling water. Peel your unripe plantain, wash them and arrange them on top of the yam and add eggs to boil fast Boil on medium heat for about 10 min and then after its well cooked strain the water and allow it to cool. Cut your garden eggs into quarters and rinse them. Boil them in enough water on medium heat until they are soft. Strain water and allow to cool. Peel off the leathery skin and seeds. Blend the skin and seeds until smooth. Use your hand to mash the fleshy part in to a pulp. Set aside for use later. Put enough oil into a saucepan on medium heat. When the oil is hot enough, slice up your onions and pour into the oil. Fry until onion turns slightly brown. Add your pepper, blended onion, garlic and ginger. Allow simmering for 2 min. Add your tomato paste and stir to perfectly mix up. Let simmer for about 4-5 min to remove the metallic taste. Pour in your chopped tomatoes and allow to simmer until water has significantly reduced. Add both blended and mashed garden eggs into the saucepan with some smoked tuna and salmon with a little salt and seasoning to taste.  Allow simmering for about 8-10 min. Remove off heat and serve with your Ampesi.

HEALTH BENEFITS

A crucial garden eggs benefit is that it helps in controlling blood sugar level. People with diabetes can easily control sugar levels by consuming garden eggs stew. To accomplish this, one must take it often. Garden eggs have almost all the nutrients that a pregnant woman would require. Garden egg is a great source of vitamin c and folic acid.

PROMOTION

The delicacy should be part of the mainstream meals across the senior high school feeding plan.  Citi FM organizes an annual food bazaar activities  as part of its heritage month’s  activities. These programs are hugely attended by tourists  from other countries  and  parts of the country where Ampesi is not popular.  

CONCLUSION 

Everywhere in Ghana, one could easily get tubers of yam, cassava and plantain as well as garden eggs.  Ampesi and garden eggs stew is easy to prepare and not expensive at all. For those who need a lot of carbohydrate to work with can rely on this for energy. END.

Written by:  Harriet Wilson Kumah  (Ghana Institute of Journalism)

EGUSI AND EBA

THE AUTHENTIC PAN AFRICAN FOOD

THE FOOD

Egusi soup and eba is the most popular Nigeria food.It comes with different recipes across the different Nigeria ethnic groups. The Yorubas make efo egusi while the Igbos make ofe egusi, all with similar ingredient but with slightly different approaches. This is a comprehensive recipe for the best kind egusi soup with lump. The kind you only get to eat when you visit a 5 star hotel or restaurant.

PREPARATION PROCESS 

There are several ways to prepare egusi soup. There is the caking method, the frying method, the boiling method and series of other methods. For the purposes of this article, I will use the frying method because people find it difficult using the frying method. A complete ingredients may include 2kg of meat, 4 cups of grounded  egusi, roasted or smoke fish (about two medium sizes), a cup of ground crayfish, 2 cups of washed bitter leaves, 2 seasoning cubes, 300ml of palm oil, about 2 liters of water,salt to taste, pepper to taste , Stock fish head and dawa dawa.

Set a cooking pot on fire and allow drying, add the palm oil and allow it to heat for 2 minutes but don’t let it bleach, dissolve the egusi seeds in a cup of water and add to the heated oil fry the dissolved its seeds in Palm oil for  8_10 minutes while it is stirred up to prevent it from burning.

Once the egusi is fried add 6 cups of water, the cooked meat stir add the roasted fish, stock fish, add the crayfish, a seasoning cube and pepper then cover and allow to boil for about ten minutes. Add the already washed bitter leaves one spoon of ground dawadaw, taste for salt and pepper, allow to boil for another ten minutes. Egusi soup and Eba is always served hot.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EGUSI SOUP

Egusi does not just benefit your stomach, it is a healthy meal rich in iron, calcium, vitamin, and B, sodium, potassium, protein, and carbohydrate and low in fat , cholesterol, fiber, saturated far and sugar.

CHALLENGES OF THE FOOD

Egusi soup is one of the most delicious soups in Nigeria and Ghana, the soup seems more easy to prepare but I tell you that it is very technical, a slight mistake could go long way in altering the taste of the soup as well as the general outcome which could eventually cause one not to enjoy the meal ,hence extra care is needed.

CONCLUSION

From the above recipe, in preparing egusi soup and eba one can say this is sumptuous meal that should be patronize by all and not only Nigerians  because of it richness in nutritional benefit aside the difficulty in preparation.

Written by: Agorogo Joy Mawuena DCS 20660

AKPLE AND FETRI-DETSI

AKPLE and FETRI-DETSI

The Indegeneous Ewe Food

Photo Credit: Myjoyonline.com

THE FOOD

Akple and Fetri-Detsi is a delicacy made from corn powder and Okra-Stew. It's mainly consumed by the inhabitants of the south-eastern part of Ghana; the Ewes. The delicacy’s history can be traced back to the 16th century when the Ewes first settled in Sudan where they named Ketume, which is known today as Khartoum.  

Today, the delic#acy is consumed by people from all walks of life; both rural and urban, poor or rich. One in every ten Ghanaian is said to consume the delicacy at least once a week. Also, the delicacy is consumed at social events like parties, wedding receptions and funerals by all tribes.

PREPARATION PROCESS.

Wondering how it's prepared?  Well, one needs a sizeable quantity of corn flour, fresh okra, fresh leaves, red oil or coconut oil, spices, fish or meat with half pot of water. The water is kept on fire till it reaches a boiling point. The corn flour is mixed with the boiling water and stirred with a cooking paddle until a desired hardness is achieved. As soon as the desired hardness is achieved, it is covered and left on fire for about 8 minutes to be fully cooked. Before serving, the mixture is stirred again to achieve a certain level of viscosity and uniformity. 

The practice is that, while the Akple is cooking, the okra is boiled together with cassava and cocoyam leaves. Usually, the leaves are chopped into smaller pieces and mixed with pepper stew and stirred. Crab, Salmon, smoked fresh water fish etc. are added to the stew. Some people prefer to add smoked snails for its protein efficacy. Spices are added to the stew to make it tasty. ’Dzomi’ (Red Oil) or coconut oil is used in the preparation of the stew.

BENEFITS

It’s a great source of energy since it is carbohydrate based. Some health commentators recommend its consumption to people with diabetes because it could be easily broken down by the digestive system. Unlike Banku, Akple and Okra-stew is lighter on the stomach and digests faster comparatively. While Akple is prepared with only corn powder, Banku is prepared with the mixture of corn dough and cassava dough.

CHALLENGES

The only challenge with this delicacy is that is does not have a longer shelve life. Usually, it is consumed hot just after cooking because it loses its viscosity in matter of minutes. It is not usually consumed cold. However, some people have found innovative ways of tying it up in polythene and keeping it in food warmers. That way, it can be kept up to about twelve hours.

PROMOTION 

I think that the delicacy can be better promoted beyond its current state if conscious efforts are put in place by the Ghana Tourism Development Company GTDC.  Platforms such as this one, food festivals, etc. could serve as some of the main means of promoting the delicacy. Also, celebrities and leaders of the country should be seen eating these local delicacies at official gatherings rather than the foreign cuisines. 

CONCLUSION 

Akple and Okra-stew is easy to prepare and not expensive at all. Everyone  can consumes it. It digests fast and does not leave you with health complications. The more we consume Akple and Okra-stew, the more we are putting money into the pocket of the local farmer which would eventually help grow the local economy. 

Written by Carlos Lorlornyo Atsu. DCS 20691