LA, PA, and Ghana Videos from the Launch

The International Association of Culinary Professionals Conference (IACP) in Los Angeles California April 1-3, 2016 was a celebration of good food from around the world, and focused on changing communications in the culinary world. I was happy to represent Ghana (Note the Made-in Ghana-apron). For the first time since I've been attending, I met a sub-Saharan African (Nigerian) colleague! 

          

My next signing event will be at the University Club on the Penn State Campus from 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday April 23, 2016 at a half day conference sponsored by State College's own Smart, Creative + Interconnected women's group.
See the website for more information. I'd love to see you there.

Finally, I'm happy to announce that some of the speeches from January's Ghana launch of The Ghana Cookbook  are now available online. Here's the first one from BETUMI's playlist.

All of the videos Barbara Baeta had uploaded from that day (including among others Barbara's remarks about the fascinating history of Flair Catering, my irrepressible husband, Prof. K. Osseo-Asare making outrageous remarks, journalist and former minister of state, Elizabeth Ohene, and  Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee [also a former minister of state]), are available at http://bit.ly/1Wnwm5x (Incidentally, I still can't believe I said some Akans might claim they eat soup and fufu "for breakfast," when I meant "every day." Oops.)

Sold out all the books at the Accra launch

I'm in the airport at Brussels waiting for the flight via Chicago back home to Pennsylvania. I have a few "free minutes" at the airport to let everyone know that, as expected, we had a joyous time on Thursday. I was awed by all the impressive number and rank of the hundreds who showed up. We ran out of our over 180 books and many folks pleaded with us to bring more to Ghana. The flowers, music, food, and presentation were up to Flair's standard of doing everything with "flair."

No time to go into details right now, but I thought folks might like to see a few photos from the launch. I'll be more specific when I have more time to reflect on the meaning and to share some of the comments we received. The media were also generous in their coverage with interviews before and also at the launch itself.

1 Day to go until the launch

I squeaked by the blizzard on the eastern U.S. by a few hours and made it safely to Ghana last Friday. I've been working with Barbara to coordinate the Ghana launch of The Ghana Cookbook, but she and her catering staff are handling the lion's share of the publicity and all of the food preparation. It looks to be a grand event.
 
I spent part of the day today at Flair, helping (just a little) with the behind-the-scenes work preparing for the launch on Thursday. That involved, among other things, pre-signing the almost 200 books that will be available there, getting my outfit adjusted (Barbara and I will wear matching outfits). Also, helping sort books and providing general moral support.

It should be a vibrant, lively day worthy of Ghana's culinary heritage. I'm very grateful for the opportunity Barbara and I have had to work together. A bit nervous about how it will play out, but mostly excited. Hard to believe it's actually happening, and the stir it's causing!
 
Here are a few pre-launch photos. We were interviewed for a brief segment to air the day of the launch, Jan. 28, at 8:30 a.m. Ghana time, on TV3. We're still wondering exactly how many folks will turn up. Stay tuned for more photos and a summary of the event.

Anyone who is interested in Ghana's cuisine and around tomorrow afternoon  (Jan. 28, 2016, 3:30 p.m. at Flair Catering), feel free to stop by. It's a rare chance to get books autographed by both authors.

 

Flair turns 45!

I've been in Ghana for almost 2 weeks. The highlight so far was celebrating Flair Catering's 45th Anniversary and the graduation of its 2013 class. Barbara Baeta (and her catering company and school) is legendary in her commitment to setting standards in the hospitality industry in Ghana, as well as championing Ghana's classic cuisines while preparing a wide array of international dishes with equal ease. Barbara truly brings "flair" to everything she touches. I feel honored to know her and to have been able to join them for this special time. 

While waiting  in a bank this morning I happened to see an editorial in one of the local papers. The writer was lamenting the failure of customer service in the hospitality industry in Ghana after over 50 years of independence. Then he stated that Barbara Baeta and Flair have restored his faith in the hope that dedicated, honest, creative, hardworking individuals like her and her legacy of trained professionals, offer hope for Ghana, and for Africa as a whole. It was a moving tribute.

The graduation speaker this year was Mrs. Lordina Mahama, the wife of Ghana's current President. It turns out she was a graduate of Flair, and in the 1990s earned the coveted "Barbara Baeta Award" for her outstanding accomplishments while


a student. The graduates were inspired and eager to continue Flair's traditions. Mrs. Mahama also donated a new 6-burner cookstove to the school, and promised 2,000 bags of cement for the long-dreamed of expansion of the school in a new location.


It struck me how the students truly understood the vocation before them, as they (and former students as well) transitioned effortlessly from honored graduates to earnest caterers: after the graduation on Friday, serving the hundreds of guests refreshments they had prepared , as well as at a luncheon held on Sunday after a service of Thanksgiving at Ridge Church. I was also touched by the devotion, respect,  and love they obviously have for their beloved "Auntie Shika."
 

Recipe #94: Contemporary Akontoshi ("stuffed crab")

The word for "crab" in Twi is kɔtɔ or ɔkɔtɔ or okoto. Kotokyim is the Akan name for "crab stew" and akontoshi refers to a classic Ghanaian stuffed crab dish topped with bread crumbs. Barbara Baeta of Flair Catering has adjusted the traditional recipe to create an elegant, but easy, dish that can be made from crab (or lobster) meat, but also using less expensive canned tuna fish. Following her lead, I have used Irish baking dish seashells to lend a nice ambiance to the dish. It can also be served in a  crab shell or a ramekin.

If you have access to fresh crabs, good for you. I do not, and since I'm not serving this as a first course at a fancy luncheon or dinner party, and the crab would cost me at least $20 to buy, I prepared mine today using a can of chunk tuna in water.

Recipe #94: Contemporary Akontoshi ("stuffed crab")

Ingredients:

• 1 slice of wholewheat (brown) bread, to make about 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• about 1 cup of Ghanaian gravy (see below for directions)
• about 6 ounces of fresh crab (or lobster meat), or 1 6 oz can of solid tuna fish (preferably in water), drained and flaked with a fork or your fingers

Special equipment:

• 4 or 5 (oven proof) shells or ramekins to hold the stew

Directions:

1. Put a slice of whole-wheat bread into a blender and pulse the blender to make it into crumbs. If it is too fresh and soft, let it sit out for a while to dry, or pop it into a toaster for a minute. You should have about 1/2 cup of crumbs.
2. Put a clean, heavy pan on the stove and toast the breadcrumbs in it over medium heat until they are browned and crisp, stirring or shaking the pan frequently. Remove the pan from heat and pour the crumbs into a bowl so they do not continue to cook and burn, and set them aside.

If you do not already have some Ghana-style gravy on hand, make some using:

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (such as canola, or peanut)
• l/2  medium onion, finely chopped (or grated) to get about 1/2 cup 
• a tomato, seeded and grated (or ground), peeling discarded if grated (for directions on grating, see the eggplant stew recipe), to get about 1/2 cup with juice (do not rinse the peelings with any water)
• a heaping teaspoon of tomato paste
• 1 large clove of garlic (or 2 small), pressed (or ground)
• 1 teaspoon of peeled and grated or ground fresh ginger
• fresh ground (or minced, but I prefer grinding in a blender) hot pepper to taste (or substitute one or two minced, grated or ground tablespoons of a sweet bell pepper, and/or a half teaspoon or more of dried ground hot chili pepper)
• a little salt to taste
• a teaspoon or so of your choice of additional seasoning, dried ground shrimp, white pepper, no-salt seasoning, etc.(optional; I used 1/4 teaspoon dried ground shrimp.

To make the gravy: Prepare the onion, tomato, ginger, pepper, and garlic. Put a frying pan on the stove to heat on medium heat, then add the oil and chopped or grated onion. Saute for a few minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, and fresh red (or bell) pepper. Stir well and cook for another minute or two, and add the tomatoes, tomato paste and other seasonings you are using. Cook for a few minutes until well blended. Add the flaked tuna fish (or crab) to the gravy and stir well. Let it cook for several minutes for the flavors to blend and thicken as  some of the liquid cooks out. (If using fresh crab meat, make sure it is cooked through). Taste and adjust seasonings.

To fill the shells (crab or seashells) or ramekins: You should have a little over a cup of stew, enough for 4 shells filled with 1/4 cup of stew each, or 5 shells filled with 1/3 cup each (that's what I did). Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of the bread crumbs over the stew on each shell (or a little more if you like).

Heat through in a moderate oven (350 degrees For 180 degrees C) for about 10 minutes, or just until heated through, making sure the crumbs do not burn (I actually used a slightly lower temperature in my toaster broiler oven).

Voila! A delicious, impressive first course to a meal. Even better, you can prepare the stew and the bread crumbs ahead of time, and just stuff and heat them at the last minute. They should be served warm.
Variations: Ghanaians would likely use more oil in the gravy than I suggest. Sometimes butter replaces the oil. Sometimes cheese is added.

Recipe #92: Eggplant (or Garden Egg) Stew with Meat, Shrimp (or Crab) and Fish

I have written about "garden eggs" (aka jilo, ntroma) before. Today's recipe is adapted from a rich stew we cooked at Flair Catering in Accra. It includes that common blending of meat and fresh and smoked, dried and salted seafood, laced together with exciting spiciness, fresh vegetables, and the distinctive flavor of palm oil (though that, too, is adapted here). This is a slightly more complicated version than a simple eggplant or okra and eggplant stew, but it is perfect for a special occasion. I've reduced both the salt (folks don't sweat as much in the U.S.), and the oil (we eat more and we don't work as hard physically, either).

In Accra we purchased fresh, living crabs from the market, wrapped in brown paper to keep them from running away.  Here in central Pennsylvania, I've had to adapt ingredients: the fresh garden eggs are replaced by purple eggplants, the crabs (alas) by tiger shrimp, the momoni by salted cod, the kpakpo shito by jalapeno and habanero peppers, and I've lightened the palm oil by mixing it with half canola oil. By the way, sometimes people attempt to recreate the distinctive color (but not the flavor) of palm oil by mixing paprika in to color it (NOTE: in the U.S., paprika does not refer to a hot chili pepper).

Recipe #92: Eggplant (or Garden Egg) Stew with Meat, Shrimp (or Crab) and Fish

First, assemble the ingredients, beginning with the ingredients to season the meat (the 8 oz of stewing beef (or other meat, like lamb or goat), cut into 1/2-inch (~1.5 cm) cubes listed below):

To season the meat, use the same procedure to prepare the meat as was explained yesterday in recipe #90 for the Light Okra Soup with Chicken  (but omitting  washing it with lemon and water as you did the chicken): 2 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger, a teaspoon of fresh minced, crushed or ground garlic, a half to a teaspoon of dried ground red pepper, and 1 to 2 teaspoons of seasoning salt/no salt seasoning mixture of your choice. Put the meat into a heavy pot, and sprinkle the seasonings over it, mixing it to coat it well. . Sprinkle 1/4 cup of sliced onion and the coarsely chopped fresh chili peppers over the meat, along with half a cup of water. Heat the water to boiling, cover the pot and redue the heat to allow the meat to simmer until almost tender, probably about 20 minutes. Add a little more water as it cooks if necessary to keep it from scorching. 

After the meat has steamed, take it off the heat until you are ready to proceed. You can either remove the chopped peppers and the onion slices (I did) or leave them in the pot.

The rest of the ingredients you need for the soup (plus the meat), include:

• 8 oz of stewing beef (or other meat, like lamb or goat), cut into 1/2-inch (~1.5 cm) cubes
• about a pound of garden eggs, white or yellow (about 7) or eggplant
• about 8 oz of smoked fish, cleaned
• 6 large shrimps (with shells) OR 6 small soft-shelled crabs
• 8 oz of onions or shallots, peeled and sliced or grated on a medium grater (about a cup grated, but will be more if you slice it)
• a small piece of salted cod (or momoni), soaked slightly in warm water and rinsed to remove some of the salt first, about an inch long (optional)
• 1 heaping teaspoon of tomato paste
• about a pound of fresh tomatoes, seeded and grated to make about 2 cups (use a strainer over a bowl as you de-seed them to collect the juice)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of fish seasoning (I use a fish masala)
• 4 tablespoons of ground shrimp, or to taste
• more hot fresh pepper to taste
• additional ground dried chili pepper to taste 
• 1/4 cup of white oil (peanut, canola, etc.) and 1/4 cup of palm oil, dzomi if available (OR 1/2 cup of palm oil OR 1/2 cup of white oil, plus 2 heaping teaspoons of tomato paste to give it the proper red color)

While the meat is steaming, prepare the other ingredients:

•  if using salted cod, soak it in a little hot water and rinse it
• grate or slice the onions
•  deseed and grate the tomatoes (As you grate the tomatoes into a bowl, keep the peelings on a plate, then add them to the strainer with the seeds in it and slowly pour about 1/3 cup water over it, pressing on the peelings and seeds with your fingers to remove as much juice as possible. You should end up with about 2 cups of tomato pulp and juice.
• If using eggplants: There are  2 basic ways to prepare the eggplant. Option 1 which is what I'm doing, is to peel the eggplant, cut it into a few pieces/slices, cover it with several cups of water in a saucepan and simmer it separately until it is soft, then remove it with a slotted spoon and puree it in a blender and have it ready to add to the stew at the appropriate time. (If you're organized, the cooking water can be saved to use another day for a light soup.) Option 2 is to simply cut the peeled eggplant into small pieces and add it seeds and all to the stew. Your choice. I got into the habit of pureeing mine years ago because it was easier to get the children to eat them that way. (However, if using garden eggs, cut the ends off and cut them in half lengthwise. They should be smooth, unblemished, and an attractive oval-shape. A wrinkled skin means they are old. You can also either cook the garden eggs separately in a few cups of boiling water, then remove the skin and seeds and add to the stew, smashing them as you add them or leaving them in chunks, OR do not precook them and simply cut them up into small pieces and add them to the  meat without removing the seeds).
• If using shrimp as I did here, devein them but leave the shells on. [If you are using crabs, wash and clean them, whacking off the sharp edges of their shells and removing the underside where the mouth is, and trimming the ends of the claws.
• Prepare the smoked fish (I'm using smoked mackerel fillets here with no bones, so only rinsed and removed the skin)

You are now ready to finish the stew:

1. Put 1/4 cup of palm oil and 1/4 cup of canola (or similar) oil into a heavy skillet or pot (I had to switch in the middle because my frying pan was too small) and add and saute the salted cod and a heaping teaspoon of tomato paste for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the grated onions and saute 2 minutes, then add the meat and the broth from cooking it (will only be about 1/3 cup), the tomatoes, the 1/4 cup of ground shrimp, and the pureed eggplant. Mix well. If you like the heat, slice a habanero partway through once or twice, and add it to the mixture. To increase the heat, push against the pepper as it cooks.
3. Add the shrimp (or crab) and another 1 1/2 teaspoon ground/grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic (about 1 large clove), and an additional teaspoon of fish seasoning/seasoning salt/no salt seasoning but remember that the smoked fish will add additional saltiness so be careful not to oversalt.
4. Add the smoked fish and allow to simmer for 15 minutes for the flavors to blend, then check and adjust the seasonings, especially the spiciness and salt. To increase the heat, add a little more ground red chili pepper.

Oh, gosh. This smells just like Ghana. Even though my kitchen is sweltering in our Pennsylvania heat wave, it's more than worth it. To serve: This stew goes with just about anything, especially yams, plantain, any kind of ampesi, potatoes, gari with water (what Nigerians call eba), rice, akple, kenkey, etc. I generally offer the habanero in the stew to the one who most wants it, but I usually press it against the side of the pan to spice up the stew before I remove it.

Variations: As with most Ghanaian cooking, this recipe is quite flexible. For example, you can leave out the smoked fish and shrimp, or the meat, or substitute pig's feet. 

How about sharing a meal with others soon.

Recipe #90: Fante-Fante (Fresh Fish Soup), Versions I and II

I always think of Fante-Fante as a red soup/sauce made only with very fresh fish. When I asked people in Ghana how to make this dish, which originated among the coastal Fanti people of the Western Region, I got multiple answers: one we prepared at Flair Catering, which was similar to a stew where some of the ingredients were first fried ; one I was told to do with similar ingredients as Flair's, but without frying them first (but "you never fry the fish"); finally, I was told it could be made it like a simple fish light soup without any palm oil. Some people said to grind the ingredients, others to grate them; some to add ground shrimp, others not to; some to steam the fish first separately in a little salted water and onion; some used ginger, but most did not; people often said to use seasoning cubes. It was somewhat confusing.

However, after sifting through all of the information, here are 2 versions. The first one, the one I made tonight, does not involve any frying; the second does.

Basic Fante Fante, Version I

Ingredients

• 1 - 1 1/2 pounds of fresh fish (red snapper seems popular [that's what I used today], along with grouper, or cassava fish or even octopus [octopus requires some special treatment, so I'm not recommending it here.] Also, usually people use "white fleshy fish," but it is also apparently made with "dark fish," in which case one should use a "white" oil as opposed to the traditional red palm oil.)
• an onion
• fresh red chili pepper to taste (seeded and with membranes removed, if desired. I used a very hot habanero, and needed no dried ground red pepper.
• 2 good-sized tomatoes, seeded, if desired (I always core the tomato, and remove the seeds over a strainer placed over a bowl so that I can add the juice.
• 1 Tablespoon of tomato paste (or more or less, as desired, or substitute more fresh tomato)
• 4 Tablespoons of good quality palm oil (spiced dzomi oil if available--ginger is one of the spices infused in dzomi)
• salt to taste (or seasoned salt, or a little ginger and/or garlic and/or no salt seasoning)

Preparation:

1. Scale (if necessary) and clean the fish, cut it into 4 pieces (or in halves if using 2 fish), and wash it with a little water with lemon squeezed in it.
2. [Optional: put the fish in a saucepan with a little chopped onion and some salt, and a little water  and steam it for about 3 minutes. I omitted this step today.]
3. Seed the tomatoes if desired, and puree the tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper  (fresh and some dried red pepper, too) and onion in a blender. I find that if I chop the onion, pepper, and tomato coarsely, put everything a bowl, and begin adding it a bit at a time to a blender container while pulsing, it's easiest. Eventually add the tomato paste.
4. Add 3/4 cup of water to a soup pot (use part of the water you steamed the fish in, if you steamed it), add the fish pieces to the pot in a single layer, sprinkle them with salt, and pour the pureed ingredients over the fish, using another 1/4 cup of water to rinse out your blender container. Bring the water in the pot to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for four minutes.
5. Add the 4 tablespoons of palm oil (Ghanaians would probably use twice that much) and shake the pan gently to mix everything without breaking the fish apart. Let simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes and adjust seasonings. Continue cooking until the fish flakes easily.

Variation: Omit the palm oil.

Fante Fante goes well with Fante kenkey, banku, yam, rice, potatoes, etc.

Fante Fante Version II (Flair)

When we prepared this dish at Flair Catering, we used basically the same ingredients, but grated the onion and omitted the fresh tomatoes, increased the palm oil to 1/2 cup, and reduced the amount of water.

After washing the fish with the lemon water, we shook off the extra water and seasoned the fish with: 

• a clove of garlic, 
• 1 heaping teaspoon grated onion 
• 1  teaspoon grated ginger 
• half of a large shrimp-flavored seasoning cube (I would substitute some dried ground shrimp/crayfish) 
• some fresh chili pepper (we used kpakpo shito)

While it marinated, we continued:

1. Next we heated the palm oil in a frying pan (seasoning the oil first with a few slices of onion, and removing it before proceeding), then added 1/2 cup of well-packed grated onion, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, and a little more fresh pepper, and cooked it together for about 5 minutes. 
2. We added another teaspoon of grated ginger and the other half of the seasoning cube, and adjusted the seasoning, adding about 1/2 teaspoon salt and some dried red chili pepper.
3. We placed the fish in a single layer in the pan, added 1/3 cup of water and shook the pan to stir it, adding a few more kpakpo shito and another 1/2 teaspoon salt. We covered the pan and simmered it until the fish cooked, about 15 minutes. We checked during the cooking to make sure the water had not evaporated.

 Let me hear from you. What version of Fante Fante do you use?

Recipes #81 and #82: Squid and Octopus Appetizers

Octopus and squid are known as "blõsa" (bosa?) among the Ewe people. While this recipe was not part of the traditional diet, Barbara has adopted traditional seasoning and deep-frying cooking techniques to produce what has proven to be one of Flair's popular appetizers. While the recipe calls for octopus or squid, or a combination, other firm fish, or shrimp, could be substituted. Here are 2 ways of preparing this dish: one without a batter, and one with.

Recipe #81: Squid or Octopus Appetizer

In Ghana we used a kilo (a little over 2 pounds) of squid, and also a kilo of octopus. However, I believe that was before everything was cleaned and prepared, and I remember that we did not use the tentacles of the octopus. Barbara said that the kilo provided enough for 9 to 18 people.

However, when I prepared it in Pennsylvania, I was only able to find already cleaned and prepared baby squid (I did not buy the tentacles, just the tubular part of the body), and also baby octopus, which was quite a bit softer than the octopus we used in Ghana. 

I recommend a pound of the squid (over a pound of the octopus, since I did not cook the tentacles from them, but only if you have another use for them. Or, you could try coating them as well. I did not.).

Assemble the ingredients:

• 1 pound of squid (or substitute octopus, or a half pound of each)
• 1 lemon
• water for washing the squid

For the seasoning:

• 1 heaping teaspoon dried ground cayenne pepper
• 1 heaping teaspoon fresh ground ginger
• 1 heaping teaspoon ground shallots (or onion)
• 1 teaspoon ground fresh garlic
• 1-2 teaspoons of salt (to taste)
• 1 heaping teaspoon fish seasoning (I used a fish masala)

To fry the squid/octopus: 

• vegetable oil like canola for deep frying
• a little flour (optional)

To prepare:

1. Cut the squid into small strips the long way, about 1/2 inch wide, and cut the strips in half or thirds. When we used the large octopus, we cut them into strips about 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/4 inches. However, with the baby octopus, I simply cut them into small pieces as shown.
2. Add 2 cups of water to a small bowl, and squeeze the lemon into the water. Wash the squid/octopus pieces in the liquid, swishing them around well, shake the excess water off, and place them in a colander lined with paper towels to drain. 
3. Prepare the seasoning paste. To simplify matters, I simply put the peeled shallots, coaresly chopped fresh ginger, and several cloves of garlic in a small blender container, but had to add a tablespoon or two of water to get it to grind thoroughly. Then before I made the paste, I poured the blended ingredients into a fine strainer to get the water out, and used that water to flavor a gravy for stew. I was afraid the paste would be too thin if the water was not removed, and would splatter when frying.
4. Mix the blended ingredients with the dried red pepper, salt and fish seasoning to make a paste.
5. When we were in Ghana, I believe we simply coated the squid/octopus pieces with the paste and fried them in a heated deep pot of oil, but I found several problems when I tried that: the paste did not properly stick to the pieces, and also they splattered excessively when I put them in the oil, so I added another step: dry the pieces well with paper towels, and lightly dust them with flour before coating them with the paste.  Carefully put them in the hot oil using a long-handled spoon or tongs and be careful of splatters (It's a good idea to wear a full apron if you have one, and follow standard deep frying procedure--e.g., don't overfill the pot, make sure the oil is hot enough---about 360 degrees F). As soon as the first batch is in, cover the pot or fryer for a couple of minutes, then remove the lid and stir the pieces to make sure they brown on both sides. 
6. When they are nice and crispy, remove to another paper lined colander or tray to drain. When we cooked this in Ghana, the octopus was much thicker and took longer to cook than the squid. When I used the baby squid and octopus, it cooked in just a few minutes. Repeat until all are cooked.

Serving: At Flair they often dip the pieces in a gravy and serve them on a skewer like a kebab, alternating the fried octopus with fried squid, sweet bell pepper,  tomato, and/or onion slices. I made a basic Ghana gravy (with hot pepper), dipped the fried pieces in it, and threaded them on skewers that way, as shown in the photo at the top. Another way they eat them is with little steamed cassava "pancakes" called yakayake, but I have neither the dough nor the equipment to make those. Sometimes, when they cook a large fish at Flair, they sprinkled the fried squid or octopus over it as a garnish.

Recipe #82: Batter-coated Squid and Octopus Appetizer
 

The  way I got cautious Sam to be willing to try (and like) squid and octopus, was to dip them in batter before frying them.

For this recipe, you follow the same instructions as for #81, but there is an additional step. Actually, it's a good idea to make the batter first, then let it rest while you prepare the squid/octopus. As I noted above, in Ghana we made a double batch of this, but I'm cutting the recipe in half here.

Assemble the ingredients:

• 8 ounces of flour (about 1 3/4 cup)
• 2 eggs (actually, one and a half, but that's kind of awkward)
• 1/4 cup of evaporated milk (if using fresh milk, simply decrease the water below accordingly)
• 1 cup water (or 3/4 cup if not using evaporated milk) (or more as necessary, described below)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ground red pepper (or more to taste)

To prepare:

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl.
2. Crack and add the 2 eggs.
3. Shake, then open and add the evaporated (or fresh) milk and mix all well with a wire whisk.
4. In Ghana they added part of a shrimp-flavored seasoning cube, crushed, but I used a no-salt seasoning substitute, or perhaps you could substitute some ground shrimp powder.
5. Add the baking powder, salt, and dried gorund red pepper.
6. Mix again with the wire whisk, then add more water if necessary. I had to add about 1/4 cup to get it the right consistency.
7. This batter can be used to coat squid, octopus, or any fish before frying it. As was the case in recipe #81, I suggest dusting the fish lightly with a powder of flour before dipping it in the batter. If you accidentally make the batter too thin, add more flour. 

To serve: I served this with a couple of different sauces: a hot sauce and a horseradish cocktail sauce. It would also go well with shito or ketchup. It goes well with any drink (beer, red or white wine, soda, juices) as an appetizer, or as a savory snack with tea or coffee.

Isn't it about time you had a party?

Homage to Oto: Recipe #78

Before presenting Recipe #78, here is some background. Rather than rewrite what I've said elsewhere about the ceremonial dish yam oto (the actual Akan orthography would be ɔtɔ), allow me to quote myself (the references can be found at the linked article above):

 * * * *
    Oto, a sacred dish made from hard-boiled eggs, mashed yam, and palm oil, is an Akan as well as a Ga tradition. Oto is commonly served at the naming ceremony for a new baby (an "outdooring") or the purification of the mother after birth; at puberty ceremonies for girls; at festivals associated with twins, whom the Akan and Ga people consider sacred; at special occasions after the birth of the third, seventh or tenth child of the same sex (sacred numbers in the Akan and Ga cultures); at harvest celebrations; after the first and third weeks of deaths in a family, when not only family members eat oto, but the house is sprinkled with oto to satisfy the dead; and on special days in the Akan calendar known as "Bad Days" or Dabone. [32] Dabone is based on the belief that on particular days the spirits inhabiting forest or farmland will be offended if anyone invades their territory, so people stay home and away from their farms to avoid meeting or offending the spirits. Thus, oto is served to both the living and the dead. In addition, on other special occasions in normal adult life, e.g., recovery from illness, escape from accidents, birthdays, oto is the customary dish prepared to thank the nsamanfo (spirits) by sharing a meal, oto, with them. The nsamanfo are believed to dislike food which is highly seasoned. Hence oto is given without salt or pepper. [33]

  For ceremonial uses, oto is prepared without onions (or tomatoes) because "these products are foreign and are not in keeping with the fetish rites." [34] 
One cannot speak about oto without talking about eggs and the role of eggs in Ghanaian society:         

Oto  is always accompanied by hard-boiled eggs. Eggs, a key symbol in Ghanaian culture, are often used for sacrifices, at purification rites, as pacification fees, gifts, for thanksgiving after illness, and at numerous other occasions. [35]

  The very oval form of the egg is the symbol of female beauty and, at the same time, bears an element of 'cleansing power.' The egg is laid by the hen with what the Ghanaian considers to be amazing ease; it is therefore made to symbolize easy labour and fecundity. [36]
 
When eggs are carved on the staff of a "linguist" (the king's spokesperson), they proclaim that the king "wants peace with everyone (for there is no bone or any hard substance in an egg) and that he is a careful, patient, and prudent person (for an egg is so fragile that without these qualities it would be broken)." [37] 
 

During a visit to Ghana once, my son was given a wooden carving of a hand holding an egg; his friend used this proverb to explain the carving: "Power is like an egg: if you hold it too tightly it breaks, and if you hold it too loosely, it drops and breaks." 

 * * * * * * * * *

I am especially excited to present this recipe. About 3 decades ago, I was thrilled to discover my first postcard of food in Ghana--a postcard celebrating oto with a photo of this traditional Ghanaian dish (see the top of the blog posting). The back simply said in English (and also in French): "African Gourmet" (Gourmet Africain), and gave very simple directions on preparing it. Many years later I received a card from Barbara Baeta, and the photo was part of her stationery. Here is my tribute to that card by duplicating, as best I can in my own home this afternoon (in a very quick photo shoot), the original photo, and here is Flair Catering's version of yam oto.
When we made it in Ghana, this was said to be enough for 2 people, but it would likely stretch further with American portion sizes.


Assemble ingredients:


1 piece of African yam (about a pound)
1 onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 cup dzomi oil or palm oil 
2 eggs (or 1 per person to serve)


Directions:

1. Hard boil the eggs, peel, and set aside.
2. Wash, peel and slice the yam, cutting off any bad spots. Cut the yam in half lengthwise, then slice it into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Put the slices in a medium-size pot and cover the yam with water. Add a teaspoon of salt, cover the pot, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for about 15 minutes, depending on how thick the yam slices are.
3. While the yam is cooking, chop the onion. Heat the palm oil in a pan (add a slice of onion, or ginger or bay leaf first and fry briefly to season the oil, then remove it) and add the chopped onion to the oil and fry it briefly. Use dzomi, or the best quality palm oil you can find. Remove from heat.
4. Drain the yam and put it into an asanka or other bowl and mash with a wooden masher or potato masher then mix it with a wooden spoon. Do not mash the yam as thoroughly as you would potatoes. One does not want a paste or a smooth "whipped" mass, but a denser, more textured one.
5. Continue to mash the yam as you add the palm oil and onion mixture into the bowl (switching to a fork may make it easier to blend without smashing it).
6. Garnish with an egg for each person.

The day we made this, Barbara mentioned she had recently had oto at a celebration in Accra for the 70th birthday of a Fante friend. To thank God they first went to a church service in the morning, then began their breakfast at 8:30 a.m. with oto, topped with a hard boiled egg for each person. The oto was followed by an extensive banquet of Ghanaian and Western dishes, that continued on until lunch.

 P.S. There is a lovely posting about brides and oto at The Skinny Gourmet.
P.P.S. My special thank you to Sam and Ernest Osseo-Asare for traveling to Washington DC to bring me some fresh Ghana yam. I wish you were here today to enjoy the fruits of your labors.









 
   


  

Recipe #77: Krakro (kaklo) spicy plantain balls with corn dough

Stop! Do NOT throw out those squishy, moldy plantains. They're perfect for lots of things, especially this recipe, which is reminiscent of both tatale and bofrot. While I'm partial to kelewele and tatale, many Ghanaians choose this as a favorite snack or side dish, especially when served with a peppery sauce like gravy or shito. It also pairs well as an entrée with bean stew. While the seasoning ingredients are similar to those for tatale, the texture is quite different. Here are 2 versions from Flair Catering:

Recipe #77:  Krakro (kaklo) [Spicy plantain balls with corn dough], Version 1

Assemble ingredients:

• ~3 over-ripe plantains, enough to yield at least 2 cups when pounded
• 3 Tablespoons of finely grated onion
• 1 rounded teaspoon of any fresh hot pepper, grated or finely minced (or substitute additional dried red pepper)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ground red pepper
• a scant 1/2 cup of unfermented corn dough (or 4 oz)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
• ~2 Tablespoons of wheat flour
• 1 heaping teaspoon of baking powder

Directions:

1. Peel and pound the plantains (You can use a metal bowl and a sturdy glass or cup or even wooden spoon to smash them well. I used the wooden mashing tool from my asanka). You should have a good 2 cups.
2. Sprinkle over the plantains the grated onion, *fresh pepper, salt, and dried pepper, along with a few tablespoons of the water (*NOTE: I didn't have fresh red pepper, so I increased the amount of dried red pepper).
3. Add just enough water to the corn dough to make it smooth, and add it to the bowl with the plantain and seasonings.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the dough and the teaspoon of baking powder, and stir well. If the dough seems very soft, add a little more dough; if it seems too dry, a little more water.
5. Allow the mixture to sit for 20 or 30 minutes before deep frying it in small balls, following the directions for Recipe 28A or 28B. Because of the high sugar content of the over ripe plantains, I set my deep fryer at a slightly lower heat (about 360 degrees F) than I would for donuts. Drain well on paper towels or paper.

Variations: If corn dough is unavailable,  this can also be made using a combination of rice and wheat flours, and adjusting the water as necessary. Some earlier recipes omit the wheat flour and the baking powder altogether. If you choose to, you will need to decrease the amount of water, or omit it altogether. Also, some recipes include fresh ginger (I like to use a bit in mine), and some even include a little sugar as an optional addition.

Version 2: Krakro (kaklo) [Plantain balls with roasted cornmeal, aka

Ablemamu Krakro, Kyekyire Krakro]

In this version  roasted cornmeal (ablemamu), [somewhat difficult to prepare if you cannot find some at an African market] is substituted for the cornmeal. Follow the recipe above, but replace the corn dough with a cup of  the toasted corn flour, and about 1/3 cup of water. As before, if the dough is too soft to hold its shape, add a little more water, if it is too thick, add water a spoonful at a time.

Looking at some historic Ghana cookbooks (Alice Dede's Ghanaian Favorite Dishes, 1969 and Ghana Recipe Book, 1970), creative Ghanaian cooks have never limited themselves to making these fried balls with corn dough or flour: there are also recipes using cassava (after grating it and squeezing out the juice and omitting the plantain, and serving it with coconut); using mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, butter or fat, water or milk, and coating the balls with bread crumbs, then frying them and serving with meat or fish stew; and with gari. Yam balls (yele kakro), are also quite popular.

Why not try something different today?

Recipe #65: Caramel Custard

 Recipe #65: Caramel Custard

This custard recipe makes a lovely, impressive dessert. The distinctive contribution of the Ghanaian version is that it is lighter and less sweet than recipes from the Americas. As I began to prepare it today, I noticed that in Ghana we used a small can (called "tin" in Ghana) of evaporated milk, but it seemed that the can from our local supermarket in Pennsylvania was smaller. With a little sleuthing, I discovered that can sizes do change, and thus today's can in the U.S. is only 5 oz, not the 6 oz size we used in Ghana, so if you want to make this dessert buy a large can of evaporated milk!

Also, in Ghana we used empty evaporated milk cans for our molds. I was hoping to do that, too, but since the cans I have are smaller, decided to go ahead and use standard custard cups.

Caramel custard requires only 5  handy ingredients: water, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, and nutmeg.  It is prepared in two steps: first, the caramel that coats the bottom of the mold is prepared on the stove top, then the custard itself is made and baked in an oven.

To make the caramel topping (which actually goes in the bottom of the cups and will be inverted when serving), you need:

• 4 oz of sugar (a slightly rounded 1/2 cup)

• 3/4 cup of water (a U.S. cup, or 6 oz)

Put the sugar and water into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat without stirring. Allow it to cook about 10-15 minutes (depending on your pan and how hot your stove is), just until it begins to turn golden. Immediately remove it from the heat and stir 2 teaspoons of water, one at a time, watching out for splatters. Pour the syrup immediately into the bottom of 4 molds or custard cups, or a large single mold that can go in the oven, and allow it to cool while you prepare the custard.

  2.   To make the custard, you need:

• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring (not imitation)
• 3/4 cup of evaporated milk (6 oz), plus enough water to make 2 1/2 cups

Shake the can of evaporated milk before opening it. Beat the 4 eggs and 1/4 cup sugar together in a bowl (I used a wire whisk), then add the nutmeg, vanilla and milk and water. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into another container to make the mixture smoother,  and pour the custard into the individual cups or mold. To make a bain marie (water bath), fill a pan half full of water and place the custard cups in the water. Bake them in a medium oven (350 degrees F) for about an hour or until a knife put in it comes out clean. By the way, I put my knife all the way through to the bottom of the custard, which was a mistake because it gave me a knife mark on the top (hidden by the mint sprig in the picture). In Ghana, while the custards were cooling, we replaced the warm water in the pan with cool water. I'm not sure that's necessary where a refrigerator is available. I'd just cover it with saran wrap or something similar, and put it in the refrigerator to cool. Serve the custard warm or cool. Just before serving, go gently around the very top of the custard with a knife or spatula to loosen it, then shake it gently and turn it upside down onto a serving dish. Or, simply put a plate on top and turn it over. Also, I kind of gouged my custard when I was loosening the sides, so they did not come out as smoothly as they could have.

When Flair Catering serves this, they make often make  it in a large mold, and lend it a Ghanaian touch by serving it surrounded by fresh slices of tropical fruit such as papaya (pawpaw), pineapple, mango, banana, watermelon, and oranges, and garnish it with a spring of mint. I've just removed mine from the oven, cooled it slightly, then placed it in the refrigerator to cool. I do have mint, but only have some orange, watermelon and bananas, so let me slice some of these up and then turn out the custard . . .

Gosh, that tastes good. And it looks extraordinary, though it's not hard to make. Even without any fruit garnishing.

Incidentally, when I cut this recipe in half I still had enough extra to make the one additional serving above (though I did have to make some more of the caramel topping. Here are a couple of hints: be sure to run hot water into the pan you use for the syrup: the caramel hardens quickly and it makes for an easier cleanup; also, you'll need plenty of hot water to get the dregs out of the custard cups once you unmold them and want to wash them.