Recipe
Traditionally processed Ogi is the type of Fufu made with fermented cornstarch with the distinctive sour taste. Unfortunately, for those who live overseas, fermented corn is not easy to get. Therefore I use a powder of fermented cornstarch sold in most African stores. Ogi is simple yet very difficult to prepare with the powdered Ogi flour.
Akpan is a fermented cereal pudding typically made from maize. Traditionally, the grains are soaked in water for up to three days, before wet milling and sieving to remove husks. The filtered cereal is then allowed to ferment for up to three days until sour.
Bread-skewers or Suya Sandwich
I feel like Suya (also called Tchintchinga) is universal. Unless, you are allergic to peanut, why wouldn’t love Suya? I think the Suya stand can be reference as a West African fast food stand. Suya is a meat skewer seasoned with roasted peanut and other spices. The Suya is a staple food in West Africa that originated from the Ayoussa culture. The suya can be made with beef which is the most common, lamb, chicken and even Kidney, liver and tripe which is sold in newspapers.
It can also be served with Jollof rice, Fried plantains, Akpan, Fried yam. For this recipe I used thinly slice beef marinated with powdered roasted peanut, garlic, ginger, paprika, salt… vegetable oil and I served it with some French baguette. And it is a marriage made in heaven the combination of roasted beef, the peanut, the spices and the French baguette make the perfect sandwich.
I drive 3 hours round trip to get my French baguette from Cait and Abby’s in South Orange NJ. If you cannot get your hand on some fresh French baguette for this sandwich, you can substitute the French baguette with some toasted white or Panini bread. Bush the crispy bread with oil before adding the Suya. Furthermore you can dust the meat with the Suya spice. Unfortunately, because of my kids, I did not add any hot peppers (like cayenne pepper).
(Do not use the mix that came into contact with the raw meat.).
Chicken Kédjenou
1 chicken
1 eggplant peeled, sliced and salted
2 onions, chopped
1 hot chili pepper, seeded and chopped
3-4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
ginger, one small piece, peeled and minced
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cube
Marinate the chicken and let rest for 4 hours
Combine all ingredients into a large cooking pot.
Seal the pot (I used a pressure cooker)
Put on the tight fitting lid
Cook for 1½ hours on a low heat and then check for to see if meat is cooked, if not continue cooking until done.
Serve with Attieke or rice, Enjoy!
Original Yogurt Thiakry
Thiakry (also called dégué, thiacry or chakery) is a West African dessert that originated from Senegal. The Thiakry consist of millet semolina of the size of couscous. The millet is tasteless therefore, it soak up the taste of the yogurt. My Yogurt Thiakry is made with homemade yogurt, milk, sugar, sour cream and or heavy cream. I also added nutmeg or vanilla extra for aroma.
Unlike my husband, I prefer the “Thiakry Couscous” to the “Yogurt Thiakry”. What make the “Yogurt Thiakry” different from the “Milk Thiakry” is the difference in milk to yogurt to milk ratio. The Thiakry is sold on the street in West Africa and in some supermarket. You should also try my “Rum Thiakry”
The Thiakry can be cook in a saucepan on the stove but I take a shortcut and I add enough boiling water to cover the millet semolina, cover and let the millet absorb the water for about 20 mins and heat in the microwave for 3 mins. The cooked Thiakry should be fluffy and moist.
The Yogurt Thiakry should be served cold.
5 cup of milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup of powder milk
2 cup dèguè (Thiakry)
1/2 cup commercial plain yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Warm the milk to right below boiling, about 200°F. Stir the milk gently as it heats to make sure the milk doesn’t boil over.
Cool the milk. Let the milk cool until it is just warm to the touch, 112°F to 115°F
Add the yogurt and powder milk and whisking gently. Place in warm water overnight
Cook the millet with steam or microwave
When it is well cooked, put in a calabash, crush, because the small grains form a single ball, work until the small balls are detached from each other.
Add nutmeg, sugar and vanilla extract
Pour into bowls, put in the fridge. Serve as Cold
If your mother in law is in the same zip code, follow this recipe to the T! this is very close to the traditional recipe.usually a motor is use to grind the spices but, you can pay me to do manual labor!!! A blender work just fine.Back to the recipe, if you want your mother in law to love and respect you don’t skip a step. This fry chicken can accompany Jollof rice , tomato sauce, Ablo or in soups. You can blend the spices, keep it in the fridge and use it on other meats (goat, beef and chicken)
Chin Chin
These African croquettes are also known as “Atchomon” or “Achonmon” in Togo and Benin; “Chin Chin” in Nigeria, Ghana or “cakes” in other African countries. They are very easy to make and very appreciated during an aperitif with friends! Chin Chin is similar to the Scandinavian klenat snack, a crispy dough of cooked or fried donuts made from wheat flour and other traditional bakery items.
Togolese Braised chicken with Djinkoumè
8 cups flour
2 chicken
8 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons ginger
2 cloves
bay leaf
1/2 onion
2 cubes
Salt
4 tbsp tomato paste
3 large fresh tomatoes
1 big onions
A red pepper
Clean and cut the chicken in half, marinate with the spices, cube and salted to taste. Cook for 1 hour (30 minutes on each side) – Add enough water to cover the chicken at all time.
Once chicken is cooked, remove from the broth and set aside
Mix the tomato paste, 1 tomato and 1/2 onion , 2 tablespoons chili puree, 1 cup chicken broth and salt.
Brush the chicken with the tomato mixture.
Faites-le braiser sur le barbecue en prenant soin de retourner les morceaux de temps en temps pour ne pas les brûler.
While the chicken is cooking, add you flour to a dry pot .
Grill it by turning regularly on a medium heat while turning with a spatula for 20 minutes, then reserve.
When the flour takes a “café au lait” color, remove it from the heat and reserve it.
-If you are roasting too much flour, it does not matter because you can keep it in an airtight container.-
Remove excess oil
Mix 1 cup of water and 1 cup of the roast the corn flour and set aside.
A soon as the water start boiling add the corn and water mixture. Add the salt.
When the liquid start to boil reserve the third.
Add 2 cups of the roast the corn flour and mix thoroughly
If it is not soft enough for you add the broth on the side.
Mix and cover for a 7 min
Cut the fresh tomato, the African pepper, the fresh onion into thin cubes.
Serve the Djinkoumè with the tomato mixture and fried chicken.