Sorry for not posting more often, but internet is sketchy and electricity other wise known as lights out happened on Sunday when I was finally ready to post. They call it lights out because they often buy or pump water into a large tank and water is controlled through gravity. This is not drinking water, but water for bathing, washing dishes and only for cooking if it has been boiled.
Friday was African Liberation Day. I don’t really know what it is about, but it was a day off of work. I read the Wikipedia page, but it doesn’t say much. My roommate Eva invited me to join her and her coworkers at her boss’ house for a day of cooking and eating. I learned how to make several Ghanaian dishes and tried few others I haven’t had. It was a wonderfully fun day. It was my first time in a Ghanaian house and experiencing how they make their dishes. The kitchen is set up very similar to a kitchen in the USA with all the amenities we are used to. Except they have this cool outdoor little cooking area. Since a lot of the starchy foods are made in traditional ways they need more space and an open fire. I’ll go through some of the traditional dishes with pictures.
The Ghanains love their starches.
Rice Joloff is white rice with a bit of spices that makes it a red color. It is a bit spicy but not too much. It is pretty darn good and I must say the closest to US cuisine that I have gotten! I don't have a picture as of now, but there will be one at some point.
Another starchy staple is Banku. Banku is fermented corn with cassava. It is a week long process to make it. First the corn must soak in water for three days. Second it is milled and then it is soaked again for three days in water. Then one simmers it down until it is a similar consistency and finally it is rolled into a ball. I don't know when the cassava is added. When it is made without cassava it is called Kenkey and I have had that a few times as well. Here are a few pictures of the process the day of cooking.
Eva's coworker is working hard stirring it over the fire in the heat for a few hours.
Another starchy staple that is completely foreign to me is Fufu. It is a mixture of cassava (rooty starch) and plantain (looks like banana, but is still green).
Then it gets fun! Outside in the little outdoor cooking space there is a special hole in the ground to set a wooden type bowl. Then one has a long stick and they pound it. It is pretty cool. Here is a video of the pros!
I helped a bit, but I was scared that my hand was going to get smashed because I wasn’t used to what I was doing so I turned it back over to the professionals.
The final product is a doughy ball eaten with soup. It is finger food!
I was told not to chew but just to swallow, it sort of felt like bread dough going down the throat. I ate the Fufu with a ground nut (peanut) soup with some sort of meat, I don't know if it was beef or goat. It doesn't have much taste on its own, and the texture is quite new and different, but I have a feeling it will grow on me.
I will post again some time soon to expand on the other dishes we made that day.
I have enjoyed my first two weeks. I have met some wonderful people and my research is getting under way. I will be starting my household surveys on Wednesday if everything goes as plan.
Tell next time!
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