Yam Foofoo

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Miscellany/Recipes_from_12913.html

Foofoo is a ubiquitous and much-beloved staple through most of West Africa, whether topped with a fiery Palava sauce (or Shoko) or served as the bland accompaniment to a main dish. Foofoo is traditionally made with cassava (aka yucca and/or manioc), but it can be prepared as well with everything from rice, yams, and plantains to instant mashed potatoes! It is also somewhat harder to make than it would seem. Ellen Wilson quotes a traditional proverb that goes, "If a woman were like foofoo, a man could get to know her before he married her." What this has to do with foofoo (or women) is anyone's guess. In any case, this version of yam foofoo -- traditionally made by pounding and beating the yams in a mortar with a wooden spoon -- has been adapted for a food processor.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb yams
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp butter

Method:

• Place the yams in cold, unsalted water, bring to a full boil, and cook 25 minutes, or until soft.
• Remove the yams, cook, and peel. Mash with the other ingredients.
• Place in a food processor, and run briefly to remove lumps. DO NOT PUREE! (If a processor is not available, go directly to step 4.)
• Remove foofoo to a bowl, and beat with a wooden spoon or wire whisk until smooth. The foofoo should have a sticky, slightly resilient consistency.
• Shape the foofoo into balls with your hands, and serve warm.

Ghana Jollof Rice

http://www.cookadvice.com/recipes/ghana_jollof_rice-30704-recipe.htm

Ingredients:

• 2 t Salt
• 1⁄4 t Black pepper
• 3⁄4 c Cooked smoked ham -- cubed
• 1 c Uncooked Rice
• 1 large Onions, sliced
• 3 c cabbage -- shredded
• 1⁄2 lb Fresh green beans -- quartered And stems removed OR
• 1 10oz pk frozen beans
• 1⁄4 t Ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 t Cayenne pepper

Method:

• Pour water into a large pot. Add the chicken, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
• Cover; bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Stiri in the ham, rice, onion, cabbage, green beans, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fork-tender and the rice is cooked, 25-30 minutes.
  

Shoko (Beef And Spinach Stew)

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Miscellany/Recipes_from_12913.html

Ingredients:

• 6 small canned tomatoes, with juice
• 1 whole fresh hot chile
• 4 medium onions, whole
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 lb stewing beef, cut in cubes
• 1 cup water [or beef broth]
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cayenne [more or less to taste]
• 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 3/4 to 1 lb fresh spinach

Method:

Reserve 1/2 cup of juice from the canned tomatoes, and discard the rest of the juice.
Combine the chile, tomatoes, onions, and green bell pepper in a food processor, and process until the vegetables are minced but not pureed.
Heat the oil in a large, cast-iron pot, and saute the vegetables and beef for 5 minutes over high heat.
Add the reserved tomato juice, water sugar, salt, cayenne, and ginger.
Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 hours.
Stir occasionally to keep from burning.
Meanwhile, soak the spinach in warm water for 15 minutes.
Then rinse thoroughly, separate, rinse again (and even a third time if you want to be extra careful), shred coarsely, and set aside.
After 2 hours, add the spinach to the pot and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, until the water is gone and the spinach is cooked.
About half an hour before serving, prepare boiled rice.
Serve Shoko with rice. [Also good served with Yam Foofoo.]

Agushi Soup (Ghanaian Egusi Soup)

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-agushi-soup

Ingredients:

• 120g agushi (egusi) or pumpkin seeds, ground to a paste
• 240g smoked dried fish, washed and flaked (or equivalent in cooked meat)
• 10 dried shrimp, ground
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 150ml meat stock
• 300ml red palm oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 hot chillies, pounded to a paste
• 250g bitterleaf, chopped (substitute 220g collard greens/turmip greens/kale + 30g young hop leaves or dandelion leaves)
• 1 garlic clove, ground
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Method:

• Place the agushi and onion in a pestle and mortar and pound to a rough paste.
• Place the chillies, some of the onion paste and fish in a pot.
• Add a little stock, season and simmer gently.
• Mould the remaining agushi paste into balls and drop into the soup.
• Add the remaining stock along with the bitterleaf, return to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the dried shrimp and palm oil, bring to a gentle boil and cook for 2 minutes.
• Serve hot with FuFu (Gari in the Ga language).

Ashanti Chicken

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-ashanti-chicken

Ingredients:

• One whole chicken (about 1.3kg) de-boned
• 450g yams (or sweet potatoes) cut into quarters
• 450g chicken meat, no bones
• cooking oil for frying
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp ground Ashanti pepper (use cubeb pepper if not avialable, but it will be more bitter)
• handful of chopped parsley
• a few mint leaves, chopped
• salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Boil the yams (or sweet potatoes) until tender. When tender remove from the cooking water and mash. While the yams are cooking fry the chicken meat (not the whole chicken) in a few tablespoons of oil. When nearly done (about 25 minutes) add the onion and tomato. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is completely cooked.
• Add the chicken mixture to the cooked yam then add the Ashanti pepper, parsley, mint, salt and pepper. Mix well to completely incorporate.
• Stuff the de-boned chicken with the yam mixture then sew the chicken closed with a needle and butcher's twine. Rub with butter, salt and pepper. Place in a large casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid, add a saucer or trivet and enough water to come up to he top of the trivet. Place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and steam for two hours (top up the water every half hour or so).
• Once done take the chicken out of the water, baste with butter and place on a roasting dish. Cover in foil, place back in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Take the cover off the chicken and bake for a further 30 minutes.
• Serve with rice, acoompanied by green tea with mint.

Banku

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-banku

Banku is made from a fermented dough that's either made from 100% corn (maize) flour or cornmeal (ground maize) with white cornmeal being preferred. Or a mixture of 50% cornmeal and 50% grated cassava.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg cornmeal
• 1 kg grated cassava

Method:

• For this version I'm using a 50:50 mix of cornmeal and grated cassava, 1kg of each. Mix the two components together thoroughly and add just enough warm water to dampen it. Mix well, cover the container with a clean cloth and place in a warm spot to begin fermenting (about 2 to 3 days). When ready the flour should have a slightly sour aroma (rather like bread dough).
• Now knead the fermented dough with your hands until it is thoroughly mixed and begins to stiffen slightly. Meanwhile bring 250ml of water to a boil and slowly add the fermented dough. Cook for 20 minutes, under constant and vigorous stirring. During this time the banku should become thick and stiff (add more water if it becomes too dry).
• When ready from the banku into tennis-ball-sized spheres. They can be served immediately or cooled to room temperature before serving. Serve with any sauce-based dish.

Akotonshi (Ghanaian Stuffed Crabs)

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-akotonshi

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp salt
• 3cm fresh ginger
• 6 cloves
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 bell peppers, finely chopped
• 2 generous pinches of paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp dried shrimp
• 100g whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
• 1 spring parsley
• 1kg crab meat

Method:

• If using fresh crabs clean and dress them then place the crab meat in boiling salted water along with the ginger and cloves. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the meat is just tender enough to flake with a fork. Drain, flake to break up the meat, then set aside.
• Add the oil to a heavy pot and place on moderate heat. Add the onions and cook for a minute then add the ground ginger and tomatoes and cook for a further minute. Now add the tomato purée and bell peppers, paprika, cayenne pepper and dried shrimp. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are all cooked. Add the crab meat and stir for a further 2 minutes to ensure that the meat has cooked through.
• Spoon the mixture into cleaned crab shells or ramekins and sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of each crab then toast under a grill, being careful not to allow the crumbs to scorch.
• Garnish with egg and parsley then serve.