LEMON CURD RECIPE

The smell of ginger, cinnamon, baked apple and lemon is permeating through my home at the moment. This could only mean one thing, 'baking' hot cross bread and Granny Apple pudding. 

I decided to make my own lemon curd, when I couldn't get one from my local grocer yesterday. I thought it might be a daunting task, but on the contrary, an easy and fulfilling thing to make. I promise you'll never buy one from the shops again after trying this recipe. 

Ingredients; 

Makes 250g of curd

Juices of 2 large lemons and peels

60g butter

100g of sugar

2 whole eggs and a yolk. 

Method; 

Place a saucepan with about 250ml of water on a medium heat. 

Using a glass oven proof bowl / Pyrex which sits comfortably on top of the saucepan, add the butter, sugar, lemon peel and juice. 

Stir till the butter melts 

Whisk your eggs in a bowl. 

Add the eggs to the butter mix and stir till well combined.

Leave the mixture to cook for 12-15 minutes, giving it the occasional stir. 

The mixture will thicken up at this stage. Turn the heat off and remove the bowl off the saucepan 

Stir occasionally till it cools down completely. This should take about 30 minutes. 

Steep a glass jar with it's lid into hot water (this is to sterilise the jar). 

Transfer the lemon curd into your sterilised jar and place into your refrigerator. 

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.
Find more inspiring recipes like this Ghanaian Fried Chicken recipe, on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. Don't forget to subscribe and share.

SALMON FISH CAKE RECIPE

Ingredients

Serves 4

350g of Maris piper potatoes/ Yam cut into chunks 

200g of smoked salmon

1 teaspoon of grated ginger

1 finely diced de-seeded red chilli

60g of chopped coriander

100g of chopped Spring onions

Half a teaspoon of lime rind

1 beaten egg

100g breadcrumbs 

1 tablespoon of sunflower oil

Method

In a bowl mix the grated ginger, chopped coriander, lime rind, diced chillies, spring onions and season with salt and pepper.

Boil your potatoes or Yam in water for about 12-15 minutes or until tender (poke a fork into the potato/yam and if it runs smoothly without any resistance, then it's done).

Drain the potatoes/yam into a colander and leave it to steam dry

Blitz your smoked salmon roughly or better still roughly chop it, using a chopping board into small chunks. 
In a bowl use a fork to break the potatoes into large flakes. 

Combine the salmon, potatoes and herb mix together and shape into a ball and then press it down gently in the middle to a disc shape.

Place the salmon in a fridge for a minimum of 20 minutes. This allows the cake to hold it's shape and for the flavours to infuse. (You can also freeze the cakes (not for more than a month) and use it whenever you need to)

Take the salmon cakes out of the fridge at least 10 minutes before you fry them. 

Place the beaten egg and breadcrumbs in two separate bowls.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. 

Take each cake, dip it in the beaten egg, dip into the breadcrumbs and to the frying pan.

Fry the cakes for about 3 minutes on each side or till golden brown and serve with salad. 

Alternatively, pre-heat the oven to 180*c.

Heat the oil on a high heat

Brown the cakes for a minute on each side and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 8-10 minutes and serve with your favourite salad. Enjoy!

All recipes are by the owner of this blog. Find more inspiring recipes like this whole baked Salmon recipe, on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. Don't forget to subscribe , try the recipe and leave comments about your experience. 

  

SOFT YOGHURT BREAD

 

Ingredients 

620g of strong bread flour

300g of natural Yoghurt 

30ml of extra virgin Olive oil

1 tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon of Sugar

2 tablespoonful of dry yeast

130ml of warm water

Extra flour for dusting 

 

Method 

Add the salt to your mixer , then the flour, Sugar and dry yeast. Mix everything together and add the Yoghurt  and olive oil.

Using a Mixer

Attach the bread hook to the mixer and start mixing the dough.

Gently add the water and mix for 10-12 minutes .

Mix till you have a glossy and stretchy dough. 

By Hand

Transfer all the ingredients as per earlier instructions into a bowl. Using your clean washed hands , mix everything together till you form a soft dough. Flour a clean surface and knead the dough for about 20 minutes or until you have a stretchy, glossy and smooth dough. 

Proofing

Once you've achieved the perfect bread dough, transfer to a bowl and cover with an oiled cling film.

Place the bowl in a warm place to proof for an hour. 

Tip

For a quicker rise, place it near a warm Oven.

Once the bread dough has doubled in size, transfer it again to a clean floured surface. Knead the dough again, divide it into 2 equal parts and roll them into an oblong shape. 

Oil the bread tins and place the oblong shaped dough in each tin. Cover again with an oiled cling film (this prevents the bread dough from latching onto the cling film) and leave it to double up in size again. This should take about 45 minutes to an hour.

Pre heat your Oven, at least 10 minutes before your bread dough is ready to 180*c

Once the bread has doubled up in size, remove the cling film and place it in the middle of your Oven and bake for 25-30minutes or until you hear a hollow sound when tapped.

This soft Yoghurt bread works perfectly with extra virgin Olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve with a Tomato , Avocado and Onion salad. 

Find more inspiring recipes , like this Feta and Watermelon salad, on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa' and don't forget to subscribe.

Enjoy 

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

THE GHANAIAN ICE KENKEY RECIPE

'Ice Kenkey', is a popular gluten free and pro biotic smoothie or milk shake made with fermented, steamed Corn dumpling known as Kenkey in Ghana.

 

The process of making Kenkey includes fermenting the corn, milling it into a smooth paste, mixing it with water and cooked till you form a pliable dough. The cooked dough is then mixed with an uncooked dough , shaped into ball and wrapped into a corn husk. The ball is then steamed or boiled into what's known as Kenkey. Kenkey originates from the Ga tribe in Ghana, who are from the capital Accra.

 

Kenkey is a serious affair in Ghana, as it's enjoyed anytime of the day including breakfast,  with either a spicy Tomato salsa (Raw Pepper), Black chilli sauce (Shito) with proteins such as fried Fish, tinned Sardines, Omelette's, Avocado or and Prawns.

The left over Kenkey, which could be a day or two old (even a week long for best results), is then used for the Kenkey smoothie or milk shake. 

Traditionally, the water residue from which the Kenkey is boiled in, is reserved as the liquid for the mash Kenkey or 'Mash Kay'  (popularly named by all boarding school students). 

The Kenkey is then mashed (using clean hands) till you have a smooth consistency or blended into a smooth consistency using a blender. You can use water, milk or flavoured milk as the liquid for your Iced Kenkey. 

 

The Kenkey is then sweetened with Sugar ,  and enjoyed cold as 'Iced Kenkey'. 

Iced Kenkey has come a long way from a simple blend of fermented Kenkey , Water and Sugar to a modern interpretation of adding spices, fruits, using of milk and flavours. 

I made my own Kenkey a week ago (recipe coming soon) and fermented the leftover  Kenkey for a week in a dark warm place for this recipe. I included Yoghurt in this recipe and used lactose free milk but you can use any milk you prefer. I once used Tiger nut milk which was equally delicious. 

 

You can flavour the Ice Kenkey with either Vanilla paste or a pinch of Cardamom or omit them altogether. The inclusion of Cardamom helps with your digestive system , acts as an antioxidant and a diuretic for your kidneys . It's closely related to the benefits of Ginger and Turmeric. Cardamom is available in most supermarkets or Asian grocers ,whilst Kenkey is readily available in most African grocers across the U.K.

My personal and favourite place to get Kenkey here in the U.K. is from Rashbelle Ventures. I send an email and they deliver to my doorstep with a minimum spend. 

rashbelleventures@gmail.com

Let's start blending...

 

Ingredients 

1 ball of Kenkey

 280ml of chilled Water or 250ml of Milk and 2 tablespoonful of natural Yoghurt 

Quarter of a teaspoon of Cardamom powder (optional)

Half a teaspoon of Vanilla paste ((Optional)

1 tablespoonful of Sugar

30g of roasted Peanuts or Groundnuts

 

Method 

Take the Kenkey out of it's husks and place in a blender.

Add the Milk or Water and Sugar.

Blend into a smooth consistency and transfer into a bottle and refrigerate until chilled.

Serve with roasted Peanuts and enjoy!

Find more inspiring recipes on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa' and don't forget to subscribe and share. 

GHANAIAN FRIED CHICKEN

Enjoy this classic Ghanaian dish with Jollof rice, on its own, with some chips and polished with a glass of un-oaked Chablis or a chilled glass of Palm wine. 

Find out why this is a popular and favourite dish amongst Ghanaians by watching the recipe on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. 

Don't  forget to subscribe, try the recipe , leave your comments and share. 

 

Ingredients 

4 pieces of Chicken 

30g of fresh Ginger

3 cloves of Garlic

1 Habanero chilli or 10 Pettie Belle chillies

3 pods of Grains of Selim or Hwentia

1 large Onion

1 Chicken stock cube

450ml of Oil

1 levelled teaspoon of salt

 

Method 

Blend the Ginger, Onion, Chilli and  Stock together into a smooth paste

Marinade the Chicken in the Ginger blend for a minimum of an hour

Transfer the marinated Chicken and juice into a saucepan and steam on a low heat for 10 minutes 

Add the Grains of Selim and steam for another 10 minutes 

Add salt to taste and cook for another minute.

Remove the Chicken pieces from the stock into a strainer. This will dry the surface of the Chicken.  

Place a Wok or Saucepan on a medium and add the oil.

Heat the oil for 4 minutes.

Carefully add the Chicken pieces and increase the heat.

Fry the Chicken pieces till its browned. This shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. 

Once browned remove the Chicken from the oil into a strainer (to get rid of any excess oil).

Serve immediately with your Jollof rice or use it for a tomato stew to enjoy with Plantain, Kenkey, Banku, Yam etc.

You can also serve it with pan fried crunchy  Peppers and Onions mix. 

Watch the video on how to make this recipe on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa'. Don't forget to subscribe and share.

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

CHAR GRILLED MACKEREL IN WAAKYE LEAVVES

The idea of an impromptu barbecue on a Saturday afternoon, had me thinking of ways to create something different. A dash to my local fishmonger, to source fresh  Mackerel heeded a great result.   The idea of char grilling  the Mackerel filled me with both excitement and apprehension. I was apprehensive as I knew the probability of the Mackerel splitting , when cooked was high. Grilling any fish on a barbecue is always a 'tricky' situation.  A quick glance of the Waakye leaves in my fridge, made me grin silently as I knew I've found a solution. The Waakye leaf, has a distinct flavour that lends itself to any dish when served in it. I have a pet name for the leaves as my 'Natural Plate'. Enjoy the aromatic, smoky ,flavour of the 'whole' Mackerel and thank me later. Here  you have a recipe created  from problem solving.? 

Serves 4

Ingredients; 

4 large cleaned whole fresh Mackerel (you can keep the head on if you prefer)

3 tablespoons of finely chopped lemongrass 

16 individual spring onions, cleaned and halved lengthwise

250g washed Coriander 

4 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger

4 tablespoons of olive oil 

4 tablespoons of fresh lime juice. 

Freshly milled black peppercorns 

4 Waakye leaves cleaned with soap and water. (purchase from most African shops). 

String to tie the fish.

Method;

Place each string in a vertical way and leaves in a horizontal way. 

Place each Mackerel in the middle of each cleaned Waakye leaf. 

Divide the lemongrass and ginger evenly and add to each Mackerel. 

Rub the ginger and lemongrass into each mackerel well. 

Divide the spring onions and coriander evenly, to each mackerel. 

In a bowl mix the oil and lime juice together. 

Add a teaspoon each of the marinade to the Mackerel 

Season with freshly milled black pepper corns. 

I have omitted salt from this dish as I used lime juice instead, however that a personal preference. 

Bring each end of the leaves together, overlapping each other and tie the string to hold the leaves and fish together. (See below).

The mackerel needs to char grill on a medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. Disperse some of the heated charcoal to help control the heat. 

Try grilling some tomatoes as well (optional) for a smoky raw pepper salsa.

Once cooked leave for 2 minutes and serve immediately.

Best served with with steamed vegetables, Yam or sweet potato chips or the African way with hot Kenkey or Akple with a smoky raw pepper salsa.

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

Find more inspiring recipes on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa' and don't forget to subscribe and share.

LIGHT SOUP (Mutton)

Almost every household in Ghana, will buy fresh ingredients for their light soup on a Saturday morning. (Light soup is a spicy tomato based soup). Light soup and Fufu (a mixture of Cassava and Plantain) on a Saturday or Sunday lunch, in Ghana, is what a roast is to the British on Sunday. Light soup can be made with beef, Goat meat, Chicken, Lamb or Mutton. 

Ingredients;

Serves 6

1.5 kg of mutton cut into sizeable chunks (ask your butcher to cut into your preferred chunks)

3 large tomatoes

25g cleaned ginger cut into chunks

2 large onions

2 cloves of peeled garlic

20g of de stalked kpakpo shito Ghanaian chillies ( Pettie Belle) 

1 teaspoon of carom seeds (optional)

80g of tomato paste

3 litres of Chicken stock (your preferred stock) or Water  

Alternatively you can use 2 Bouillon cube

Salt

Method;

Wash and clean your mutton and place in a bowl.

In a blender add the ginger, 1 chopped onion, garlic, carom seeds and 10g of Kpakpo shito

Add a little water and blend to a smooth paste. 

Add the paste to the mutton

Mix the paste well into the mutton and refrigerate overnight or at least for 2hrs . 

Remove your mutton from the fridge and place in a saucepan or clay pot. 

Place your saucepan on a medium heat and steam your meat in it's juices, (add a little water if needed).

Cook slowly for about 30 minutes and add your tomato paste. 

If you're using Bouillon cube;

 Crumble your preferred cube into the sauce at this stage. 

Mix till well combined and cook for a further 5 minutes, making sure you stir constantly.

 

Add your  fresh tomatoes and 1 whole onion and cook for a further 3 minutes. 

Add 1.5 litres of your preferred stock  or water and cook for a further 15 minutes

The tomatoes and onion should be cooked through now. 

Remove the tomatoes and onion and place in a blender. 

Add the remaining stock/ water to the blender. 

Blend to a smooth consistency. 

Using a fine colander, pass the tomato and onion blend through into a bowl 

Add your strained juice to the mutton and cook for a further 20-25 minutes. 

Add the remaining Kpakpo shito (Pettie belle chillies) and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

Taste the mutton to make sure it's tender. 

Add salt to taste and enjoy. 

Best served with steamed Okra, Fufu, Yam & Rice. 
Watch how to prepare Goat Meat light soup on my YouTube channel, 'Ndudu by Fafa' below;

Don't forget to subscribe, like the video and share.

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