Yébésséssi
2 tomatoes
1 pepper
2 small onions
Slices 1 onion and set aside
Put in a boiling water 2 tomatoes, 1 onion and pepper
Let them boil until they soften
Blend them with a little salt
Pour the mixture on a plate and add the sliced onion and it’s ready.
Serve with akoumé or akpan
Other names: Kom, Dokunoo, Dokono, Dokunu, Dokonou, Kenkey
Kenkey, dorkunu, dokonou or kom is a staple dish in Togo, Benin and Ghana similar to sourdough dumpling, usually served with pepper sauce, shitor (Yebesse fionfion) and fried fish or stew. It is usually made from ground corn (maize), like banku, Akoume, sadza and ugali. Making Kenkey involves letting the maize ferment before cooking for at least 5 days. Therefore, preparation takes a few days in order to let the dough ferment. After fermentation, the kenkey is partially cooked, wrapped in corn husks, plastic or foil, and steamed.
My one and only!!! My favorite food: Kom (Togo) Dokonou (Benin). Ghana has a similar dish Kenkey.
Our Kom is softer than Kenkey. Kom is served with a soup or stew or sauce. I prefer to eat my Kom with Yébésséssi, Ebesse fionfion, fried fish and sardine.
6 – 8 cups of corn
Agbelima (optional)
In a large container cover the corn with just enough water to dampen all of it. Set it in a warm place, such as a warmed oven or on top of the refrigerator, for 5 days. Fermentation may take longer than two days, especially in cool climates.
When it is properly fermented, it should have a slightly sour, but not unpleasant aroma, rinse and grind the corn.
Knead the fermented dough with your hands until it is thoroughly mixed and slightly stiffened. Divide the dough into two equal parts.
In a large pot, cook one part of the fermented dough. Cook for about ten minutes, stirring constantly and vigorously. Remove from heat. This half of the dough is called the “aflata”.
Combine the aflata with the remaining uncooked dough. Mix well.
Divide the aflata-dough mixture into serving-sized pieces. Wrap the pieces tightly in corn husks, or foil. At this point you can put it in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to cook
Steam the Kom for 30 to 60 mins, depending on their size and thickness. Serve room-temperature.
Grind 1 onion, 2 tomatoes and green chilies together, grind until smooth, but with a little texture remaining in the sauce. Add Salt to taste
Season and fry your fish with some garlic, ginger, salt and pepper.
Sever with Yébésséssi, fried fish, sardine and Yébéssé fionfion
Akpan with Yebessessi
1 cup Fermented cornflour
1 cup cold water
3 cup hot water
Mix the cold water and the cornflour. Mix well until lump free.
Pour the cornflour into the boiling water.
cook for 5 mins or until thickened
1 Big fish (1 tablespoon ginger,3 cloves garlic,1 bouillon cube, Salt to taste)
3 peppers
10 tomatoes
1 onion
1 cube
Salt to taste
Season and fry the fish in hot oil.
Remove when it’s cooked.
Crush the pepper, 5 tomatoes and 1/2 onion
Add cube taste and add salt if necessary.
Cut the 1/2 onion and 3 tomato very finely and add it to the Yebessessi
Djinkoumè (Amiwo) with chicken and Yebessessi (Moyo). This is a very common meal in Togo and Benin. It’s the mixture of sauce and roasted corn. Typically, the corn is roasted prior to grounding it, but since i live abroad, it easier to slowly toast the corn flour. The Djinkoumè in Togo or Amiwo in Benin is served with braised or fried meat on the side of Yebessessi or M’gbagba (or dja).
Fried chicken
Amiwo or djinkoumè
Yebessessi or moyo
Clean your chicken and cut in half
Season your meat
Refrigerate at least overnight
Boil the chicken until tender
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.-
Back to the chicken: Fry until golden on both side
Add 4 cups water (including the chicken stock) to a pan and put on a medium heat.
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, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cube.
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
For the Yebessessi roughly puree all the ingredients together.
Serve the Djinkoumè with the Yebessessi and fried chicken.