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 can be enjoyed both in a savoury or sweet way.
'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.
Whenever I try to recreate a recipe, I do so with the knowledge that food is Art. Backed with this view, I try to incorporate new textures, flavours and colours to achieve an artistic view. This reflects in the type of recipes I make and in the pictures I take.
With this Gari Piñon recipe I used my Chicken stew recipe as the base for my broth and added finely diced Peppers for colour and added crunch.
Watch how to make the Chicken stew below;
For this recipe you will need;
300g of Chicken stew. Use 200g for the broth and leave 100g with the Chicken. Best to shred the Chicken in the remaining stew for garnishing and serving.
150g of Gari or try using CousCous.
150g of finely diced mixed Peppers. (Red, Green and Yellow).
1 finely diced medium Onion
Salt to taste
Watch how to create this recipe on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’, below;
Don’t forget to subscribe, like the video, try the recipe, comment and share with family and friends.
All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.
Fish cakes are always a firm favourite in my household and a great way to use up leftovers. This recipe is particularly great during this time of the year , especially when you're watching the pennies. Be creative and try using smoked Mackerel,Ginger instead of Horseradish or Crab meat. Packed with flavour, you might be addicted to this easy to follow recipe. You've been warned!
Ingredients:
400g of Potato or Yam mash
20g of chopped Parsley or Coriander
1 diced medium Onion
1 teaspoonful of Horseradish or grated Ginger
1 tablespoonful of Organic and cold pressed Coconut oil
Salt to taste
Method:
Watch how to make this below;
Don't forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave a comment with your feedback and share with family and friends.
All photos, recipes and videos are by the owner of the blog.
Yam Pottage (as called by Nigerians) MPOTO-MPOTO ( as called by most Ghanaians, the Akan name)or Yam porridge (perfect way for me to describe it) is a delicious and quick recipe and one that's synonymous to both Ghanaians and Nigerians.
The creamy and lightly spiced taste would leave you wanting for another plate. The Yam Pottage gets its bright orange colour from the spiced Palm oil used. Please ensure your Palm oil is sustainably produced and for the best type go for Zomi (which is produced perfectly by the Ewe tribe of Ghana). Zomi is Palm oil infused with secret spices which packs a great flavour. A perfect choice for this dish.
Try using smoked Fish for an authentic flavour. I opted for Prawns instead as I didn't have any smoked fish, however by adding Shrimp powder it gave the dish an intense seafood flavour.
I call it making the most of what you have😜.
Ingredients
250g of peeled and cubed Yam
500ml of Fish stock
2 tablespoonfuls of Zomi (Spiced Palm oil).
1 large diced Onion
1 chopped green chilli
250g of shelled Prawns (or smoked Fish)
1 teaspoonful of Shrimp powder or Shrimp stock
20g of finely chopped spring onions and Green chillies(optional)
Salt to taste.
Method
Place the Yam cubes and Fish stock in a saucepan on a medium heat.
(Cubed Yams cooks quicker, however you can slice them as shown below).
Boil for 10-12 minutes.
In a frying pan, melt the Zomi (don't burn it as you'll loose the beautiful flavour of the Zomi).
Add the diced Onions and fry gently for 2 minutes.
Add the chilli and Shrimp powder and fry for another minute.
Transfer the oil mixture (Zomi, Onions, Shrimp powder and Chilli) to the boiling Yam.
Add salt to taste.
Cook for a further 8 minutes
Add the Prawns and cook for another 2 minutes.
The Yam at this stage will have a mushy and slightly firm consistency.
Tip
Mash the Yam further with a wooden spoon (careful not to mash into a smooth paste). It's best to have some Yam bites as this gives the dish the perfect texture.
Cover the mixture for a further 2 minutes (the steam will cook the Prawns further).
Serve warm and sprinkle with chopped Spring Onions (which is optional) and enjoy!
Watch the full recipe on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. Please don't forget to subcribe, try the recipe, leave a comment with your feedback and share with family and friends.
All photos,recipes and videos are by the owner of this blog.
Cocoyam is a root vegetable which is readily available in Ghana and it's rich in Vitamin B6 and magnesium. The Cocoyam leaves(African Spinach) are traditionally known as Kontomire in Ghana. They're rich in Vitamins A & C and contain more protein than the corm.
The leaves are used for , sauces, stews (Palavar sauce, Kontomire stew etc) and soups in Ghana. Cocoyams are used the same way one would potatoes and has a slight earthy taste.
It's popular in most Asian cuisines and readily available in both African and Asian grocers.
Dishes made from Cocoyam includes Fufu, Chips, Pottage to mention but a few.
During my childhood, Cocoyam wasn't as popular as Yam, hence I'm creating new ways of incorporating Cocoyam in everyday dishes.
I was rather surprised about a trip to Thailand (stayed in the Sarojin hotel, Khao Lak) where we were given complimentary snacks of Cocoyam crisp. My husband couldn't understand my excitement and I had to explain the limited ways it was used in Ghana.
I pinched myself to think an ingredient that wasn't popularly used had many uses and nutritional contents. My personal mission is to create as many recipes from Cocoyam.
Anyway, I found the Cocoyam in my local Asian grocers and I couldn't help but grab a few. Enjoy this simple vegetarian dish inspired by my Ghanaian roots.
Ingredients
300g of peeled Cocoyam cut into sizable chunks
1 litre of Vegetable oil
Half a teaspoon of salt
300g of wilted Spinach
4 Green chillies
1 large Onion
2 cloves of Garlic
1 stalk of grains of selim
Method
Watch how I made the Cocoyam chips and Spinach sauce below. Don't forget to subscribe and share.
Quenching your thirst with Coconut water under the hot sun of Accra , with your neck extended backwards, eyes squinted (shading from the sun rays), enjoying every soothing gulp of sweet juice in your throat, is a feeling one has to enjoy whenever you visit Ghana.
It's mesmerising and toe curling at the same time watching young men climb the Coconut tree to pluck a few to trade. They pack the Coconut skilfully in a wheelbarrow as they roam the streets of Accra for customers.
Coconut plays a huge role in most Ghanaian snacks, sweets and the oil is used for cooking, hair and moisturising the skin.
The classic Coconut rice doesn't include Kaffir Lime; however if you've been following my methods of cooking, you'll know my love for incorporating new flavours, in creating new recipes. Kaffir lime is used in this recipe for it's aromatic flavour and the slight 'tanginess' it adds to this dish. Try it and thank me later.
This recipe is inspired by the popular Ghanaian Coconut rice, known as Angwa Mo, which is rice fried and cooked in a spiced oil with salted Beef.
I made this Coconut rice on ITV 'This Morning' and had everyone complementing me about the smell, texture and taste.
I preferred using Basmati rice for this recipe, as it gives the dish a fluffier texture. Watch the video below;
Ingredients
200g of Jasmine rice , Long grain rice or Basmati rice
250ml of Coconut milk
60ml of Coconut water or Water
1 small finely diced Onion
1 tablespoonful of Coconut oil
2 fresh Kaffir Lime leaves or 1 teaspoon of Lime Zest.
Half a teaspoon of Salt
Method
Pour your rice into a colander and run it under a warm tap for 3-4 minutes or until the water runs clear.
Place a saucepan with the Coconut oil on a medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add the Onions and fry gently for 3 minutes and add the Kaffir Lime.
Add the washed rice and stir, till well combined.
Add the Coconut milk and 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 the lid of the saucepan to trap in the heat.
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 with another twist on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. Don't forget to subscribe and share.
Serve your rice with your favourite stew, sauce or soup and better still use the leftovers for fried rice, which will be my next recipe on my YouTube channel. Have you subscribed yet? All photos ans recipes are by the owner of this blog.
Alasa or the African star fruit is rich in Calcium and Vitamin C. This recipe is inspiring and can be adapted to ones taste preference. If you don't have access to bitter Lemon, replace it with either Apple juice or use 400ml of Coconut water instead. For a smoothie thickness include the Coconut flesh and garnish with a Tangelo peel.
Emails such as the one below propels me to do more each day. I love hearing from you. Leave your comments and feedback below.
'Ma'am,the reason I follow your instagram page is coz u are the only one that came up with the AGBALUMO juice(the coctail version).
Thought to myself sometime back,there should be a juice made out from this rich vitamin c fruit.
I head on to YouTube,and voila!only ndudu by fafa has something on it.i have searched and researched,it's still only Ndudu by Fafa'.
Respect ma'am
Happy 60th Independence Day Ghana (6th March, 1957).
Ingredients
3 Alasa / African Star Apple fruit
100ml of Coconut juice
10g of fresh Ginger
300ml Bitter Lemon
Method
Cut the fruit at its circumference and twist it in opposite directions to release the fruit
Using a teaspoon scoop the flesh into the bowl of the blender
Add the Coconut juice, Ginger and bitter Lemon to the blender.
Blend everything into a silky smooth consistency.
Pass the drink through a sieve to ensure its smoothness.
Refrigerate the Mocktail until you're ready to serve or serve immediately with ice cubes and a sprig of fresh Thyme.
Watch this recipe on my YouTube channel and don't forget to subscribe and share.
All recipes and pictures are by the owner of this blog.
Making Mango Chutney wasn't part of my plan this weekend, however a chance conversation with a lovely lady at the Sri Lankan grocer I visited got me excited.
I watched as she carefully selected some Green unripened Mangoes and I asked what she was going to make with them. She advised a Mango curry and said it can be used for Mango chutney as well. I told her about my experience of tasting some Sinhalese dishes (thanks to Ashanti) and she was more than happy to tell me more about some of the ingredients in the shop.
Yes' I randomly speak to strangers.
I quickly purchased a few green Mangoes and got excited about making my own Mango chutney.
On my drive back from the grocers, I couldn't help but wonder why Ghana didn't have its own Mango chutney, considering we have the best Mango season and the excess are left rotten or thrown away. Hmm!
Anyway, after researching about Mango chutney I came to the conclusion there are varieties and it's open to interpretation.
The green Mangoes surprisingly were fragrant when I was peeling them, hence I decided to add Lemon grass to accentuate the aroma. Use the bottom part of the Lemongrass for this recipe and keep the stalk for tea. (The bottom part or bulging part of the Lemongrass is the most fragrant part).
I've used my store cupboard ingredients for this recipe, however try and be creative if you're missing some ingredients. Feel free to ask for alternatives.
For the recipe
Ingredients
5 peeled unripened Mangoes cut into chunks
1 large ripened Mango cut into chunks (which was a late addition to my recipe).
30g of freshly grated Ginger
Grated 2 large cloves of Garlic
4 Cardamom deseeded pods (keep the skins for making tea)
3 finely diced Red Chillies
1 teaspoon of Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of Nigella seeds
1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds
1 stalk of Lemon grass (use the bottom part)
1 medium sized shallot
1 teaspoon of Garam Masala
75g of Cane sugar or Coconut sugar
1 tablespoonful of Coconut oil
2 tablespoonful of Vinegar
Half a teaspoon of Asafoetida
Salt to taste
Method
Place the Ginger, Cardamom seeds, Shallot, Lemon grass, Red chillies , Salt and Cumin seeds into a mortar. Grind with a pestle to a rough paste and set aside.
Place the Green Mango chunks (leave the ripened Mangoes for later), half the spicy Lemongrass mixture, Sugar , Asafoetida and Turmeric into a bowl and mix till well combined. Leave the mixture to marinade for at least 5 hours or better still overnight.
When you're ready to cook, take the Mango chunks out of the fridge and bring to room temperature.
Place a saucepan on a medium heat and melt the Coconut oil.
Add the remaining spicy Lemongrass paste , Garam Masala and fry gently for 5 minutes.
Add the Mango mixture and set the heat to the lowest settings. Cover the saucepan to cook the mixture for 20 minutes in its steam (this enhances the natural flavours of the chutney).
Please ensure you stir the mixture occasionally to prevent the bottom of the saucepan from catching the sauce.
Add the ripened Mango chunks at this stage ( this refreshes the Mango flavour and Mango chunks to the Chutney).
Cook for a further 4 minutes and sprinkle with Nigella seeds.
Leave the Chutney to cool down and transfer it into a sterilised jar with a sealed lid.
This will keep for about 4 - 6 weeks in the fridge.
Best served with Meat, Vegetables, Fish or Cheese dishes.
I'll be using my Chutney to glaze my grilled Mutton later and more. See my Instagram page 'Ndudu_by_Fafa' for more inspiring photos.
I hope you're inspired to make your own Mango Chutney.
Enjoy! Find inspiring recipes on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'
All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.
Freshly caught Red Snapper, fried and served with a Tomato and Onion salad is my idea of bliss on earth , especially when polished off with a glass of chilled Palm wine or White wine.
Most evenings in Ghana, freshly fried Red snappers are displayed amongst other fishes by Kenkey sellers across the country.
Kenkey is made from milled fermented corn which is wrapped in corn husks and steamed to form a pliable dumpling.
KENKEY
Kenkey is best eaten with fried Fish or Seafood with a spicy tomato salsa (raw pepper) and black chilli sauce (Shito) in Ghana.
My obsession with this fish is evident especially when I visit Ghana as I'm guaranteed a freshly caught fish. I tend to buy fried Red Snappers in bulk and enjoy it as a snack, much to my Mums annoyance (as she insisted I cut down on the quantity and leave some for cooking later).
I vividly remember on a holiday to Barbados, I saw a lady clean and gut a large Red snapper (which was freshly caught) , no sooner had I alighted from the car, run to ask how much it was, was I back in the car embarrassed, as she was preparing her dinner and it wasn't for sale.
However in Khao Lak (Thailand) deeply fried, crisp skinned Red Snapper was the only thing I ordered pretty much everyday with a Ginger dressing.
I'm looking forward to visiting Ghana again this year to indulge in my fish eating habit.
With my 'slight' obsession you can imagine my
excitement when I saw this Red snapper at my local fishmongers (knowing it was definitely for sale) and I could indulge myself (without any interruptions).
FRIED RED SNAPPER
After purchasing a few, frying some (all safely eaten), I decided to grill the last one and incorporate some Rosemary (which pairs perfectly with Red Snapper) and Aniseed for an aromatic flavour.
Adding the roasted ripened Plantain to this dish is incredible as it lends its sweetness to the Fish. Please ensure the Plantain is not over ripened. The Plantain should have an even yellow colour as shown below;
RIPENED PLANTAIN
Ingredients
1 large cleaned and gutted fresh Red Snapper
The zest of 1 large Lime.
Slice the remaining Lime into little discs.
1 teaspoon of Aniseed
20g peeled and chopped fresh Ginger
3 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
1 medium sized Onion
2 finely diced Green Chillies (optional)
Salt to taste
2 ripened Plantains
Method
Blend the Ginger, Onion, Aniseed and Chilli together to a smooth paste.
Remove the Rosemary leaves from their stalks and finely chop them.
Marinade the fish with the Ginger mix, Rosemary, the zest of the Lime in a baking tray.
Arrange the Lime discs on top of the fish, as shown above.
Pre heat your grill to 200*c
Peel your ripened Plantain and cut each in half or lengthways.
Place your fish in the grill together with the Plantain and grill for 23-25 minutes.
ROASTED RIPENED PLANTAIN
15 minutes into the cooking time, turn the Plantain on its opposite side for an even cook and grilled marks (for aesthetic purposes).
Serve the grilled Red Snapper and Plantain immediately with either the famous Ghanaian black chilli sauce known as Shito or a tomato stew.
Find various stew recipes on my blog and YouTube page. This recipe will work well with some hot Amokple (Banku), which is available on my YouTube channel below;
I love to hear from you, hence try the recipe and leave comments with your feedback. This encourages me to create more recipes as I know you like them.
All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.
Ghanaian brown rice has a unique nutty taste which lends itself perfectly to the flavours of this dish.
Brown rice retains more nutrient contents than white rice as it still has its side hull and bran.
The benefits include Calcium, Magnesium, fibre, proteins and Pottasium to mention but a few.
The high fibre content helps with weigth loss as it keeps you fuller for longer ( hence you eat less).
Due to its low glycemic rating it's ideal for diabetics and it's delicious.
The perfect Rice porridge should have a silky consistency, however this isn't achieved when using the Ghanaian brown rice.
In a bid to achieve the perfect consistency I added Baobab powder which also gave the porridge a sweet and tangy taste.
Baobab is one of the many superfoods from Africa. It's rich in Vitamin C, Potassium,Vitamin A etc (to mention but a few) and a great prebiotic for your gut.
Baobab has six times more Vitamin C than an Orange, twice the Calcium content of milk and five times more magnesium than an Avocado.
This superfood should be in every African Kitchen and can be added to almost anything including soups, stews, smoothies, eggs etc.
I love creating recipes with high nutrition content as I believe in eating right. There's no point in eating junk and spend money on medications to heal. Your food should boost your immune system, stabilise your hormones and provide your body with its daily nutritional content.
I hope you try the recipe, leave comments about your feedback and share.
Good morning!
Ingredients
150g of Ghanaian brown rice
2 pods of Grains of Selim / Hwentia / Kieng / Chimba
600ml of water
400ml of fresh milk
1 tablespoonful of Baobab powder
15g of unrefined sugar
2 peeled and sliced Kiwi fruit or any fruit of your choosing. (Optional).
Salt to taste
If you're using evaporated milk then use 1 litre of water. Add the milk when you're serving. The quantity will be to your preference.
To start;
Check your rice for any stray stones and rinse till clear. This only takes 2 rinses.
Transfer the rice into a saucepan, add the water and place on a medium heat.
Cook for 15 minutes and add the grains of selim.
Cook for another 10 minutes by which time the rice is almost boiled dry (please don't burn it).
Add the milk and cook for a further 10 minutes on a low heat.
Add a pinch of salt to taste and stir.
Add the sugar, Baobab powder and mix till well combined.
Serve immediately with your preferred fruit and enjoy.
Personally I prefer to use either Mangoes , Papaya (PawPaw) or Pineapple (which are all readily available in Ghana.
I'll let you on a little secret, try it with Pineapple and it's juices for that mouth exploding refreshing flavour.
Find more inspiring recipes on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'
All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.
