Akpan

Name: Akpan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Togo
Ingredients: 200 g fine commercial food-grade fermented maize flour, ogi or akamu type, not instant; 1 litre drinking water: 300 ml cold and 700 ml to heat

🥣 Soft fermented maize pudding cooked in water for a savoury accompaniment.

Ingredients

200 g fine commercial food-grade fermented maize flour, ogi or akamu type, not instant
1 litre drinking water: 300 ml cold and 700 ml to heat

Preparation

Check flour is food-grade fermented maize requiring cooking without added ingredients. Weigh and measure. Prepare heavy pan, whisk and spatula.

Mix flour thoroughly with 300 ml cold water until no dry lumps remain. Separately bring remaining 700 ml water to boil.

Stir suspension again and pour gradually into hot water while whisking. Lower heat as it thickens and use spatula across base and corners.

Cook gently about 10 minutes after thickening, stirring regularly, or longer if package requires. Mixture must be smooth without dry centres. Add a few spoonfuls hot water only if too stiff to stir.

Rest off heat 5 minutes and divide into 4 bowls. Serve warm with separately prepared sauce. Reference: 10 minutes preparation, 15 cooking including heating, 5 resting, total 30 minutes.