POSH GARI AND SHITO

Hmm! Gari and Shito (the popular Ghanaian Black Chilli sauce) has saved many a hungry stomachs particularly at boarding school.

Come to think of it, I might as well name these quick recipe series as the ‘Chop Box series’, share your thoughts.

GARI

Gari is a popular West African ingredient made from fermented, grated and roasted Cassava (Yuca). 

Gari can last up to 2 years in an airtight container and it’s still an essential ingredient in every Chop Box a student takes to boarding school. Read more about Gari

SHITO

Shito is a popular Ghanaian Black Chilli sauce that’s made from powdered Shrimps, Herrings, spices, Chillies, Onions, Tomatoes etc, which are slow cooked till you achieve the rich black colour. 

The sauce is devoid of any moisture when it turns black meaning it does last for at least a year. 

Watch how I make my aromatic Black Chilli sauce below and see why it’s had over 100,000 views on YouTube.

Paying homage to a time lost and essential part of most Ghanaian upbringing I have included 2 new ingredients to make this dish protein rich and twisted.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS 

4 tablespoonfuls of Gari

3 tablespoonfuls of Water

1 teaspoonful of SHITO

20g of chopped Spring Onions (optional)

1-2 Eggs 

1 tablespoonful of oil to fry the Eggs

Salt to taste

METHOD 

Watch how to make this nostalgic and classic Ghanaian dish below;

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

Gari

3 MUST HAVE GHANAIAN CHILLI SAUCES

The 3 main Chilli sauces consumed by most Ghanaian households are the Green Chilli sauce made from Pettie Belle Chillies locally known as KpaKposhito. 
'Shito' translated from the Ga language (spoken by most Ghanaians, particularly by the Ga tribe from Accra, the capital of Ghana) means 'Chilli'. 

In Ewe (language spoken by the Ewe tribe from the Volta region) Chilli is 'Atadi' and the Ashanti's also refer to it as 'Meko'. 

How do you describe 'Chilli' in your language? Please share by leaving comments below. 

 Red Chilli Sauce 
 A spicy Salsa  made from Red Chillies, Onions, Tomatoes and Salt which are grounded (using the Ghanaian earthern clay bowl with internal ridges, known as 'Asanka' and its accompanying wooden pestle) into a textured smooth consistency. 
The inclusion of Garlic and Ginger (apart from their great nutritional content) to the salsa has gently crept into the recipe and its a welcome distraction. 

For that smoky flavour, why not try to char grill your Tomatoes? 

GREEN CHILLI SAUCE
Using the aromatic Green chillies from Ghana (Kasoa Pepper or Kpakposhito)Onion, Garlic, Ginger and salt to taste(which are grounded into a textured consistency) this sauce is cooked to intensify it’s flavours. Most individuals do include Aroma or Shrimp stock to this sauce which is optional for that added flavour. My recipe excludes the aforementioned food enhancers but instead incorporates Green Peppers and Coconut oil for that added flavour. Most Green sauces loose their bright Green colour and instead have an Olive green colour when cooked. I microwave my sauce to ensure I retain the bright Green colour of the sauce.
  This particular sauce is enjoyed with Kenkey, boiled Yam, Banku, Akple etc 

A must try sauce

BLACK CHILLI SAUCE (SHITO)

The ultimate Chilli sauce is the slow cooked Black Chilli sauce popularly known as 'Shito' which is made with Chillies , Spices, Onions, Shrimp powder and Herring Powder. Each household has its own version hence the flavours can be varied. The sauce can have either a smooth or textured consistency depending on each individuals preference. 

I have a few friends who cannot enjoy a meal without incorporating any of the above sauces  to their dish. 

Find the step by step video guide on how to make these 3 incredible sauces below; 

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

THE TASTIEST GRILLED SALMON WITH SHITO (GHANAIAN BLACK CHILLI SAUCE)

Cooking at times can be tiring, depending on how complicated the recipe is or can be. I tend to steer towards easy to follow recipes which are equally delicious and fun to re create. 
This recipe is inspired by the Ghanaian 'Shito Lo', which is char grilled Fish in a spicy marinade. 

The list of ingredients are readily available in most homes and you can omit the Lemon grass altogether. 

Watch how to make your own tasty Shito , (Ghanaian Black Chilli Sauce) on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa' below; 

Why not try this recipe and tell me about your experience. 

INGREDIENTS

1kg of descaled and gutted wild Salmon

3 tablespoonful of black Chilli sauce (Shito)

3 stalks of bashed Lemon grass

METHOD

Watch how I prepare this simple and equally tasty meal on my YouTube channel below; 

Don't forget to subscribe, like the video, try the recipe, leave comments with your feedback and share with your family and friends. 

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

GHANAIAN CHILLI BEEF and EGG FRIED RICE RECIPE

What do you mean by the ‘ Ghanaian fried Rice recipe’? With a cheeky grin, I described the recipe was inspired by the Ghanaian boarding school experience.

 One had to enjoy their black chilli sauce (Shito) with most things including boiled rice (after sneaking it out of the dinning room to our various dormitories). 

I particularly enjoyed mixing my Rice with Sardines, the Black Chilli sauce and wish I could add some sliced Onions. 

As I looked into my fridge for something quick for lunch, I decided to create this recipe. Funny how ones experience shapes their decisions for the future. I decided to also film the recipe with the limited time I had, before I went to work.

Watch how to prepare the perfect Coconut rice below, which works perfectly with this recipe.

The best tasting Black Chilli sauce (Shito) recipe is available on my YouTube channel, ‘Ndudu by Fafa’.

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I decided to use cured Beef for this recipe, since it’s what I had available. The Beef was cured only for 12 hours, hence wasn’t as salty. Please avoid adding Salt if you’re using cured Beef. You can use any Meat, poultry, Fish or Seafood for this recipe. Be creative!

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoonfull of Coconut oil

250g of boiled Rice

2 tablespoonful of Black Chilli sauce (Shito)

180g of thinly sliced Sirloin steak

1 deseeded and diced Green Pepper

2 Eggs

Watch how to make this easy to follow recipe on my YouTube channel below;

Don’t forget to subscribe, try the recipe, leave a comment with your feedback, like the video, share with and friends.

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