ABOLO

Abolo or Ablo is a gluten free sweet and slightly sour, steamed dumpling, which is popular amongst the Ewes of Ghana, Togo, Côte D’Ivoire and Benin.

Abolo is made with corn and rice flour, sugar, baking powder andyeast.

It is best enjoyed with a spicy tomato salsa (known as raw pepper), and fried tiny white baits known as ‘one man thousand’.

Note: Steaming the Ablo or Abolo in a banana leaf, will require a thicker mixture, hence add the extra dry ingredients.

It can be Abolo with Ademe dessi, shito, okro soup etc.

Ingredients

100grammes of corn flour

60 grammes of corn starch

300grammes ofrice flour

Half teaspoonsful of baking soda

7grammes of dry yeast

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar

Water

Preparation

Clean maize
Wash in clean water.
Grind into small grits.
Wash grits in clean water to further remove the chaff.
Mix washed grits with sifted flour and allow to stand for one hour. Mill the mixture into a fine texture.
Divide finely milled flour into two parts.
Add salt and a little water to one part of the flour.
Put on fire and cook partially to obtain an aflata.
Add the wheat flour and mix well.
Add the rest of the cornflour, stir to form a stiff paste.
Fetch and wrap the soft paste in clean leaves.
Arrange in a steamer and steam for some minutes over boiling water.
Remove from steamer and serve with your desired sauce, stew or soup with fried fish.

Source: Pulse.comgh

Meat Pie

Meat pie

Meat Pie is a West African pastry that is stuffed with meat. It can serve as an appetizer at restaurants, parties, etc.

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups of flour

1 cup of butter

1 tablespoonful of salt

1/2 cup of water

2 eggs for coating

Meat Pie filling

1 pound of meat (You can substitute it with ground beef, chicken breast or tuna)

1large onion

1 tablespoonful of Adobo seasoning or seasoned salt

1.5 tablespoonful of olive oil

Instructions

Crust

Combine the crust ingredients:

flour, butter, salt and water in a large bowl

Mix and knead it until a dough forms

Set aside in a freezer for 10 minutes

Filling

Pour oil in a frying pan and put it on medium heat

Add the meat and seasoning and let it cook for 10 minutes

Add onions to meat and let it cook for another five minutes

After the filling is done, roll the dough with a rolling pin.

Cut a piece of the dough into a square or circle, you can choose to make it large or small.

Add some meat to each pie and fold in half and seal it. Use a fork to close the edges so the meat does not fall out.

7.Coat pies with egg wash so you get that golden brown look.

Akotonshi (Stuffed crab)

Akotonshi

Akotonshi is a delicious stuffed crab dish that is associated with feasting in Ghana.

The dish is sprinkled with breadcrumbs and placed under a broiler. When served, akotonshi is usually garnished with chopped parsley.

Ingredients

5 large whole crabs or cooked crabbed meat

2 large fresh ginger

3 tablespoonfuls of cooking oil

2 large onion minced

1 tablespoonful of ginger ground

2 large tomatoes finely chopped

1 tablespoonful of tomato paste

1 large green bell peppers finely chopped

1 tablespoonful of ground nut meg

1 tablespoonful of cloves ground

1 tablespoonful of dried thyme leaves

1/2 cup of dried shrimp

1 cup of plain bread crumbs

2 tablespoonfuls of salt

Preparation

-When cooking crabs, clean them and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

-Add in the ginger, cloves and the crab, cook for 15 minutes. Remove crabs and meat, keep shells for plating.

-If using just crab meat mix crab meat with ¼ cup water that has been boiled with the ginger piece and cloves for 15 minutes. Drain water, flake the meat and set aside.

-In a heavy pot, heat oil to medium temperature and add other ingredients in the following sequence, stirring for a minute or so between each: onions, ground ginger, tomatoes, tomato paste, green pepper, cumin, nutmeg, thyme, grains of paradise, paprika, mashed peppers, and dried shrimp.

-Reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until vegetables are cooked.

-Add crab meat and stir another couple of minutes to heat it through. Then spoon the mixture into clean crab shells or ramekins (small individual baking dishes).

-Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of each crab and toast under an oven broiler, being careful not to let the crumbs scorch. —Source: Pulse.gh