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Banku is an energy-giving food prepared from proportional corn dough and cassava tuber mixture. The maize flour used in this dish must be fermented to produce the Banku.
Banku, also known as Ga-Dangme (Ga) is a name for a cooked, somewhat fermented corn-dough and cassava-dough mixture that is fashioned into dumplings to serve.
Origin of Banku
Banku is a GaDangme (or Ga) name for a descent dish made from a smooth, yellowish paste made from fermented maize and cassava bread cooked in boiling water. It can be combined for consumption with soup, okra stew, or fish in a pepper sauce.
It is mostly consumed by the Ewe, Fante, and Ga-Adangbe peoples of Ghana’s southern regions, although it is also consumed by people from other parts of the country. It is a staple cuisine enjoyed by many tribes in Ghana, though it is most closely connected with the Ewe people of Ghana.
How to Make Banku
In contrast to the making of Akple [a traditional alternative for banku], the major ingredients forthis dish are corn flour, cassava dough, salt, and water.
Although the product forms of both dishes are distinct, they have a similar appearance to dumplings. It’s customary to eat this with your hands. Akple is frequently served with an Okro soup known among the Ewes as “Fetri Detsi.”
It takes time to prepare the dough. Cassava is peeled, cut, and combined with corn grains before being steeped for one day. The water is thrown out, and the cassava and maize are ground into a smooth, fine, and moist dough. The fermentation of the dough is the next step in the preparation process. Depending on the weather, this can take anywhere from two to five days.
Banku and Tilapia
Banku and Tilapia is a traditional Ghanaian dish that is very common amongst all regions in Ghana. Banku is a mixture of corn dough/flour mixed with cassava dough/flour.
It can be eaten with various sauces such as stew, hot pepper sauce, soup etc. Tilapia is a river fish that is a delicacy in Ghana. It can be used for stew, and soups and also eaten by grilling, baking and frying.
To make your banku, follow the step-by-step printable recipe on the page, then to make your Tilapia follow the easy procedures below;
- Start by cleaning the fish, getting rid of scales, the stomach and also removing the fins. These steps are optional as some people just go ahead and season the fish without cleaning it.
- Blend about ½ onion, ½ of garlic and 2 tablespoons of ginger with about a teaspoon of oil, 2 Maggie cubes and salt (these types of seasoning are optional. Other kinds can be used).
- Depending on how many fish you are making, you may have to add more or less of the onion, garlic and ginger.
- Season the fish with the mixture and bake at preferably medium heat to prevent the fish from burning.
- Tilapia does not take very long to cook. The median time is about 20-30 minutes when baking. Enjoy!!!
Is Banku the Same as Fufu?
Banku and fufu are both popular West African dishes, but they are not the same.
Banku is a traditional Ghanaian dish made from a mixture of fermented corn and cassava dough. Banku is often served with soups, stews, or grilled fish. Fufu, on the other hand, is common to Nigerians, it is made from cassava. The method of preparation differs from each region. While the Igbo typically pound theirs to achieve a dough-like form, the Yorubas cook theirs on the stove, stirring it to reach the same consistency.
Banku
Ingredients
For Fermented Corn Flour
- 2 cups Corn Flour
- 3 cups Water
For Banku
- 1 cup Fermented Corn Flour
- 2 cups Warm Water
Instructions
For Fermented Corn Flour
- Mix the corn flour with the warm water properly in a jar or container.
- After mixing the mixture well, cover it with a clean piece of cloth and place the container in a warm temperature for about two days. If it is a cold season it can take more days.
For Banku
- Boil at least 2 cups of water in a pot.
- Add the fermented corn dough slowly to your hot water in the pot
- Stir the mixture constantly and thoroughly for about 20 minutes. Make sure that the mixture is thick. If it becomes too dry, add water to make it stiff.
- Roll it into orange-sized balls and wrap it tightly to maintain their freshness and their warmth.
