CONDENSED MILK (CARAMEL CANDY) TOFFEE RECIPE

Filled with childhood memories and nostalgia, I decided to recreate this caramel candy. The recipe caters for both the hard and chewy type.

If you spent your childhood in Ghana you will be familiar with this candy. It was not readily available as the makers were strategically placed. Once you knew where to get them, you were happy to be sent on errands to enable you to purchase the candy. Loose change around the household will be discovered and kept till you had the opportunity to purchase this popular sweet.

There was a game known as ‘Divide it in two’ (Tchem p3) spelt phonetically, which meant you could be asked to divide whatever you’re caught with (by participating members) to share. This was a bittersweet game as you could be forced to divide your sweet in half. This meant you learnt to have your wits about you if you were a  member.  

No caramel candy was the same, some were crumbly, chewy, hard and had different flavourings. Today I will tackle both the chewy and hard type using Lemon for softness and flavouring. 

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS 

1 tablespoonful of cold pressed Organic Coconut oil (You can increase the amount of Coconut oil for that additional flavour).

387g of tinned condensed milk

1 teaspoonful of Lime or Lemon juice 

* *

(for a softer caramel candy use 2 tablespoonful of the Lime/Lemon juice)

Optional flavourings 

Vanilla Extract

Coffee

METHOD 

Watch how to make both a hard and chewy caramel candy below;

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5 WEST AFRICAN BREAKFAST IDEAS THAT ARE GLUTEN FREE

Enjoy these 5 handpicked Ghanaian porridge recipes that are gluten free and easy to prepare for breakfast. The next list  will be the various snacks that accompany these porridge at breakfast.

KOKO (FERMENTED CORN MEAL PORRIDGE)

A smooth fermented Corn meal porridge, popularly referred to as 'Koko' or 'Kooko' in Ghana, is the quickest gluten free porridge to enjoy at breakfast.

The porridge can either be made with the chaff removed for a silky consistency  or kept for its fibre content.

HAUSA KOKO (FERMENTED MILLET PORRIDGE)

Hausa Koko is a popular Ghanaian, street food porridge made from Millet (Bajra seeds) and spices. As the name suggests, it's synonymous with the Hausa's of Ghana and it's readily available across the country. Achieving the perfect consistency, texture and creaminess of the porridge can be daunting and it puts people off from making it at home. This recipe will inspire you to make it at home.

TOM BROWN (ROASTED CORN PORRIDGE)

Made from roasted corn flour is this classic smoky porridge popularly known as ‘Tom Brown’ in Ghana. It is served with Milk, Sugar and ones preferred bread.

RICE WATER (RICE PORRIDGE)

Rice Water' is basically Rice cooked in water into a mushy consistency. It is a popular  choice for breakfast in Ghana, especially when prepared on a coal pot which gives the porridge a smoky flavour.

KORKLUI (FERMENTED GRANULED CORN PORRIDGE)

Made from fermented corn meal that’s turned into granules by using a traditional wooden sieve known as ‘Agbadz3’. The granules are carefully cooked in boiling water to make this textured porridge.

 You can be creative with what you serve this porridge with, including nuts, fruits,chocolate shavings, herbs etc

Korklui is synonymous with the Ewe tribe from Ghana and Togo and a must try recipe.

Find the recipes for the various porridge on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’ below;

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SEAFOOD and WELE or PONMO OKRO SOUP RECIPE (GHANA*NIGERIA)

‘Wele’, ‘Ponmo’ are basically words used to describe Cow hide in Ghana and Nigeria respectively.

Cow hide is a delicacy that’s enjoyed in both Ghana and Nigeria.

It’s an inexpensive ‘Meat’ with little nutritional contents (Protein & Collagen) depending on how it’s manufactured. 

Cow hide manufactured in a hygienic way has little protein and it’s packed with Collagen which helps against aging of the skin.

 When added to stews, soup and cooked in spices is does taste good.

 The unhygienic way that most producers use in making the Cow hide for consumption contributed to my Mum not including it our diet.

 It’s difficult to establish if the Cow hide you purchase from the market place is wood smoked and not smoked with used tyres and petrochemicals.

 It’s about time a seal of authenticity is introduced by the various governing Food Standard Boards to ensure they’re only wood smoked.

I learnt how to cook from my Mum, hence the absence of the Cow hide in our diet stayed with me till my adulthood. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve enjoyed this delicacy, hence I was excited when a cousin gifted me a portion.

The natural Cow hide is dark brown in colour (due to burning of the hairs), has to be scraped and cleaned before cooking. 

The cooking process can take up to 3 hrs to soften the skin, hence its best to use a pressure cooker.

The Cow hide I was gifted had a cream looking colour, which meant it was scalded , shaved and par boiled. 

This meant the Cow hide had no unwanted chemicals and was cooked within an hour and a half instead of 3 or more hours with the wood smoked or tyre burnt types.

It’s imperative to source the Cow hide that has either been wood burnt or the cream looking types. 

With this in mind I proceeded to include this delicacy to my Okro soup recipe which included, Prawns, Tilapia, Salmon, Mackerel and Spinach for their flavour and nutritional content.

Tip

Use whatever fish or seafood that’s available to you. I used up most of my leftover Fish for this dish.

INGREDIENTS 

COW HIDE

300g of Cow hide cut into sizeable chunks 

1 Habanero Chilli

1 large Clove of Garlic

2 litres of water

OKRO SOUP

300g of smoked Mackerel 

300g of wood smoked Salmon

200g of fried Tilapia 

150g of fried Prawns

500g of baby Spinach or Cocoyam leaves

700g of chopped fresh Okra

4 tablespoonfuls of Palm oil or Zomi

1 Habanero chilli

1 large chopped Onion

1 levelled tablespoon of Bicarbonate soda 

350ml of water or your preferred stock 

Salt to taste

RAW PEPPER 

2 medium sized Tomatoes 

1 medium sized Onion

1 Habanero Chilli

1 clove of Garlic

10g of fresh Ginger 

SPICE MIX

30g of Ginger

1 medium sized Onion 

1 clove of Garlic

1 tablespoonful of Aniseed

METHOD 

Watch how to prepare this flavour packed soup including the use of Cow hide (Wele,Ponmo)below;

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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

TOM BROWN (ROASTED CORN PORRIDGE) RECIPE

'Tom Brown'  is the name of a popular porridge in Ghana. I've always wondered why this roasted corn porridge is known as 'Tom Brown '. I'm sure once this recipe goes out, someone might have an explanation or the history behind the name.

Ghanaian breakfasts are varied and surprisingly gluten free. Even though the recipe is easy to follow, one can end up with a lumpy porridge. 

The key to achieving is a silky smooth porridge is to stir constantly, especially at the initial stage of cooking. 

The roasted corn flour (the base for this  porridge) is made from harvested corn on the cob , that is dried, separated from the cob and roasted. 

The roasted corn is then milled into flour, which is then used for various recipes including 'Zowey' (a spicy peanut ball). 

The flour is mixed with water and cooked on a medium heat till you have a silky smooth double cream consistency. 

The porridge is traditionally served with sugar, milk and bread. 

The recipe here has my own nutty and spicy twist, the Ndudu twist. Enjoy 

Serves 4

Ingredients 

170g of roasted corn flour

600ml of water

3 tablespoonfuls of brown unrefined sugar 

Half a teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of ground Ginger 

A pinch of red chilli

1 tablespoon of smoothly ground peanut butter 

Method 

Video recipe

Add all the ingredients including the water to a saucepan. 

Using a wooden spatula mix everything together till completely mixed with no lumps. 

Tip;

The key to  a smooth porridge is to constantly stir the mixture, till you can feel  it thicken like a custard.

Place the saucepan on a medium heat and stir ) in the figure of eight)  for 7 minutes or until you have a slightly firm ,smooth, silky consistency. 

The recipe makes for a thicker porridge to accommodate the milk. Alternatively  use your preferred milk (Tiger nut or almond milk) or just add 150ml water instead for a single cream consistency. 

Take the saucepan off the heat and serve in a bowl or calabash. 

Add your milk and serve. 

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All photos, videos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.

TASTIEST GHANAIAN FRIED RICE RECIPE EVER

Introducing the naturally flavour packed and tastiest fried rice recipe ever. This recipe makes for a smoky, aromatic and perfectly spiced fried rice dish.

A must try recipe!

INGREDIENTS

FLAVOURED RICE  

300g of Basmati rice or Long grain rice washed and soaked rice in warm water

200ml of water or your preferred stock

2 tablespoonfuls of salted butter

1 tablespoonful of butter

7 Pettie Belle chillies or any green chilli

2 pods of Grains of Selim (Hwentia)

1 leg of smoked Chicken (Click here for the recipe)

Salt to taste

FRIED RICE 

1 tablespoonful of Coconut oil 

1 large diced Onion

3 chopped Green Chillies (Optional)

3 Eggs

30g of spring Onions

1 tablespoonful of dark soy sauce

200g of frozen fresh mixed Vegetables 

300g of your cooked flavoured rice.

Watch how to prepare this flavour packed dish below;

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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

GARI PIÑON and ADEME DETSI (TOGOLESE DISH)

Ademe , Jute or Molokhia leaves are very nutritious and have a high Iron content. It’s great for your digestive system and bloating due to the mucilaginous structure of the plant. 

During my childhood, Mum and I were at the market at dawn to get the freshest leaves from the market ladies. 

Mum advised Ademe was at its best when used immediately especially after it was plucked.

Mum always had specific ladies she bought specific ingredients from, with clear instructions and the Ademe had to be less than 12 hours old from picking when she purchased it.

 

My grocery shopping experience with Mum during my childhood has shaped my way of handpicking the best of ingredients. Mum insisted on the small like looking Ademe leaves (which I believe were the Organic ones) and were the tastiest. 

Immediately we got home, we had to pick the stalks from the leaves, which can be time consuming, considering how small they were. 

During the process of picking (which if you’re lucky involves a few people), we had our chats including how painstaking the process of cooking was, ensuring we kept the same pace and looking forward to the dish.

GARI PIÑON 

Gari is made out of  grated Cassava that's fermented and roasted. Gari has a Couscous consistency and most West Africans use it just as you would Couscous and more. 

'Gari Piñon', is basically Gari cooked in a hot and perfectly spiced Tomato broth. This is a popular dish in Togo, Benin and the Ewe's of Ghana. 

Gari Pinon has a soft and light texture which is packed with flavours and can be enjoyed with your favourite Meat, Fish or Poultry.

Gari can be enjoyed both in a savoury or sweet way. 

Watch how to prepare both dishes for a perfect lunch below;

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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

DAWADAWA (FERMENTED LOCUST BEANS) & BASIL FRIED RICE RECIPE

In recent years 'Fried Rice' has become a popular dish in Ghana and can be found in most restaurants in Ghana. Inspired by this increasing popular craving for 'fried rice', I decided to create a Ghanaian version using most Ghanaian ingredients. It is fair to describe this rice as a West African infusion as most of the ingredients are readily available and used across West Africa.  

Creating new natural flavours for my dishes  gives me joy, as I try to promote other ways of using West African ingredients. 

 The Rice has been infused with Dawadawa (fermented locust beans), African Nutmeg, Grains of Selim, Kasoa Pepper and some more. The fresh Basil  gives the Rice an aromatic flavour and compliments the Dawadawa perfectly.

Ingredients

200g of Basmati Rice or Long grain Rice 

250ml of Water

2 tablespoonful of Butter

Half a teaspoon of Salt

1 teaspoon of powdered Dawadawa

1 tablespoon of dried Rosemary 

5 Grains of Selim pods (Hwentia) or Black Cardamon

5 Cloves

3 Green chillies(Kasoa Peppers)

Method

Pour your rice into a colander and run it under a warm tap for 3-4 minutes or until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in warm water for a minimum of 15 minutes

Place a saucepan with the Butter on a medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add the Green chillies, Grains of Selim, Cinnamon and Cloves.  

Fry gently (on a medium to low heat) for 5 minutes.

Add the Dawadawa and Rosemary and mix till it is well combined. 

Add the washed rice and stir till it's well combined.

Add the water, and turn the heat up. Once the rice starts to boil, reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Cover the rice with a grease proof paper and seal it with the lid of the saucepan. 

(This traps in the steam to cook the rice perfectly). 

Cook the rice in its steam for about 20-25minutes. (Don't be tempted to lift the lid off the rice when it's steaming).

Watch the full recipe on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. 

 Don't forget to subscribe and share. All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog. 

COCONUT FLAVOURED WAAKYE (RICE & BEANS RECIPE FROM GHANA & TOGO)

Inspired by the Ghanaian ANGWA MO (where Rice is cooked in a spicy Coconut oil with salted Beef infusion)and the (Caribbean Rice and Peas) where Rice and Red Kidney Beans are cooked in Coconut milk, I present this ANGWA WAAKYE.

Waakye is a Ghanaian dish made from Rice, Beans and Millet leaves.

The Millet leaves gives the Waakye it’s distinctive deep indigo colour (however it has been omitted from this recipe).

This recipe can be enjoyed on its own as the Waakye is packed with natural flavours or with either my Beef, Lamb, Chicken or Fish Stew. Find all the stew recipes below;

Ingredients 

300g of black eyed beans soaked for a minimum of 2 hours

175g of Jasmine Rice washed and soaked in lukewarm water 

2 large peeled and sliced Onions

4 tablespoonfuls of cold pressed Organic Coconut oil

1 large Habanero Chilli

375g of Organic Coconut milk

2 large Lamb shanks or 1kg of Goat Meat 

1 litre of water or your preferred stock

1 sprig of Rosemary or a teaspoonful of dried Rosemary 

Salt to taste

Cumin spice mix

1 tablespoonful of Cumin seeds

30g of Ginger

1 medium sized Onion

2 cloves of Garlic 

Watch how to prepare this flavour packed Rice and Beans recipe below;

Don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe and leave comments with your feedback. All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

HOW TO SMOKE CHICKEN OR ANY MEAT WITHOUT A SMOKER

How many times have you thrown your somewhat old herbs in the bin? 

This recipe was created whilst I was cleaning out my fridge and found Spring Onions and Thyme that were drying out. My conscience will not allow me to throw the ingredients away as I’m a great advocate for ‘no food waste’.

I began placing the somewhat dry spring onions into my clay pot, followed by the drying Thyme and fresh Bay leaves.

The Chicken legs were placed on top of the herbs, covered with the clay pots lid  and activated the smokiness by lighting the gas fire underneath it. 

This took about 15 minutes and placed the clay pot in a preheated heated oven for 1hr at 165*c

The Chicken legs used for this recipe were pre-marinated in a spicy smoky paprika blend, which added an aromatic taste to the dish.

You can be creative with the type of herbs you use for this recipe. Try using Rosemary, Sage, Oregano etc

INGREDIENTS 

2 Chicken legs 

Spring Onions

Bay leaves

Thyme (Rosemary)

Orange or Clementine Peel

3-4 Green chillies

Salt to taste

Smoky Spice mix

1 tablespoonful of smoked Paprika or blended charred Red Peppers

30g of Ginger

1 medium sized Onion

2 cloves of Garlic

1 tablespoonful of Cumin seeds

Watch how to herb smoke your Chicken without a smoker below;

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All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

HOW TO ADD THAT SMOKY FLAVOUR TO YOUR JOLLOF RICE

Facts about Jollof;

1. Jollof originated from the Wolof tribe of SeneGambia 
2. Jollof must have a deep Orange colour when cooked
3. Jollof should have a smoky taste 
4. Each rice grain must hold its shape when cooked 
5. It’s served at any West African event 
6. Jollof has to be flavour packed 
7. Best part is the crunchy bottom known as Kanzo
8. Ghana and Nigeria still argue about who makes the best Jollof
9. You can prepare a Vegetarian, Pescetarian or Meat versions. The choice is yours!

Click the picture link below for detailed information about Jollof  Rice.

Ingredients 

350g Jasmine Rice

150ml of water or your preferred stock 

280g of Beef stew or Jollof Rice stew

JOLLOF STEW RECIPES 

3 Bay leaves 

Salt to taste

Utensil

Clay pot or a heavy bottomed pot

Watch how to incorporate flavour and smokiness to your Jollof below;

Don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe and leave comments with your feedback. All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.

KETA SCHOOL BOYS (DRIED ANCHOVIES) STEW

‘Keta School Boys’ are sun dried salted Anchovies; commonly used amongst the Ewe tribe from Ghana.

The salted, dried Anchovies are usually dry roasted and had with the ever popular spicy Ghanaian Salsa (known as Raw Pepper) with a hot steamed milled corn dumpling called Akple.

Interestingly dried Anchovies are also used amongst the Thai and Vietnamese.

Dried Anchovies are readily available online, at specialist African and or Asian grocers. 

This spicy umami flavoured stew when infused with Coconut oil introduces a rather unique nutty flavour to the new recipe.

.

Ingredients 

150g of  Keta School boys (dried Anchovies)

2 tablespoonfuls of Coconut oil

1 habanero chilli (10 Pettie belle chillies (Kpakposhito)

2 sliced large Onions

4 charred Red Peppers and or 6 Ramiro peppers 

1 large sliced Onion to finish the stew

1 tablespoonful of chopped Mint (optional)

Salt to taste

Spice Mix

2 cloves of Garlic

1 medium sized Onion

30g of Ginger

Aniseed 

Method 

Watch how to prepare this easy to follow flavour packed dish below;

Best used in an Omelette, Sandwich, Pizza, Rice, boiled Yam, Banku etc

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