Corn Pudding (Ghanaian Akasa or Koko)

Akasa (or koko) is a fermented corn pudding or porridge from Ghana, with variations in other parts of West Africa. This dish is often served for breakfast with evaporated milk and akara fritters. If food pairings could be described as siblings, then akasa is akara's twin. The two go hand in hand as a West African breakfast, although either can be enjoyed on its own. Akasa, a word from the Dangme tribe of South East Ghana and Togo, is also known as koko in the Ga language of South East Ghana. Some variations to the word include akassa and akasan. It is a smooth and runny porridge made from fermented corn. Although it was made from millet before the introduction of corn to West Africa, today the millet counterpart is popularly known as Hausa koko across many parts of Africa. Fermented porridge can be made from a variety of grains including sorghum, corn and millet, or a mixture of them. These are known as ogi, pap or akamu in various regions in Nigeria. The porridge is often spiced, particularly with ginger, however sweet and pungent spices such as cloves, grains of selim, peppercorns and dried chillies are also added. It is sweetened with sugar, or dates if you are on a no sugar diet. And, it is served with a topping of evaporated milk. West Africans are partial to evaporated milk. It adds a level of decadence to tea, coffee, and our grain or rice porridges.

Corn Dough:
2 Tbsp. cornmeal (untreated)
¾ cup water

Akasa:
3 pods, grains of selim/uda pods
5 cloves
1 cup corn dough (200 g)
3-5 cups of water
pinch kosher or sea salt
1 (1") piece fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. chili powder
sugar

To Serve:
evaporated milk

For the Corn Dough:
Mix the cornmeal and water together to achieve roughly 200 g (1 cup) of a thick, but wet corn dough. (Not runny, but thick and moist.) (Different cornmeal brands will need different amounts of water to reach the proper consistency.) Add more cornmeal or water as needed to achieve a good dough consistency.

Cover the dough in an airtight container and let ferment on the counter for 2-4 days. (Use a shorter fermenting time if the ambient temperature is warmer. Longer if cooler.)

For the Akasa/Koko Porridge:
Remove the grains of selim from the pods. Toast the grains and cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Remove from the pan and grind with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

Place the fermented corn dough in a pot and mix well with a cup of cold water.

Add 2-3 cups of boiling water to the mixture and place on high heat to bring to the boil. You will need to stir continuously or have a whisk on hand to get rid of any lumps that form. (Once the porridge thickens, you may add more water until your desired thickness has been achieved.)

When the porridge comes to a rolling boil, add the kosher or sea salt and spices, then you may cover and allow to simmer on a low heat for about 15 minutes.

When the porridge is ready for serving, mix in your desired amount of sugar or sweetener, and top with a dash of evaporated milk. This porridge goes well with akara or beignets.

Makes 4-6 servings.