Nutrition
Fufu and Light Soup
Fufu and light soup is a traditional Ghanaian dish; it is delicious food that you won’t want to miss out on when it comes to Ghanaian cuisine.
Light soup is tomato based. Fish, goat, lamb, chicken, beef, or pork can all be used to make this light soup.
Basically, Fufu in Ghana is derived by combining cassava and plantain.
Ingredients
Fresh tomatoes
Beef/Goat meat/ Chicken/ Lamb meat
Fresh fish (tilapia or catfish)
Tomato paste
Chili peppers
2 large onions
3 spoonful of salt
Seasoning
3 teaspoonful of ginger and
garlic
4 fingers of okro
Fufu Ingredients
Fresh cassava
Unripe plantain
How to make Ghana Light Soup
-First of all clean your fish, remove the gills and the innards then rinse in clean water and set aside. Thereafter, wash the meat and equally keep it aside.
-Secondly, blend your ginger, garlic, onion, seasoning cube, salt, and spices, scoop some quantity into the fish and marinate the fish, cover and set aside.
-In a pot containing the meat pour the remaining blended garlic and ginger mixture, add the tomato paste, salt, bay leaf, with more water, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
-Thirdly, wash your tomatoes, onions, and pepper and remove the stem of pepper, scrap off the onion head.
-Place fresh tomatoes, onions, pepper into a clean pot and pour 1 cup of water into the pot and bring to boil.
-Next is to remove the fresh tomatoes, pepper, and onions from heat and blend. Ensure you don’t discard the boiled water from the tomatoes rather use it to blend the tomatoes; or pour into the meat, add more water.
Finally, bring soup to a simmer over low heat for like 15 minutes then add the fresh fish; clean your okra/ okro and add into the cooking pot, cover and cook to doneness.
Optional: Sieve the soup if you like to get the clear light look of the soup else skip the process.
Light soup is ready.
How to make Ghana Fufu
On the same note, cassava flour can be used in place of fresh cassava tubers.
First of all, peel the skin of your cassava tuber and plantains then boil for about 25-30 minutes to tender.
Secondly, using a mortar and pestle which is the major instrument for local pounding, or use a Yam pounder machine to pound it.
Start with the plantain, thereafter add the cassava, sprinkle some water as you pound for easy pounding until a smooth paste is achieved; Your smooth fufu is ready.
Source: shopafricausa.com
Nutrition
Koose (fried cowpea bean cake)
Ingredients
• 300 grams of cowpea (dehusked) flour
• 200 ml of oil (for deep frying)
• 20 grams of ginger
• 10 grams of fresh or dry hot pepper
• 50 grams of onion (optional)
• 2 tablespoonfuls of salt
• 1000 ml water
Preparation
-Wash, peel ginger, hot pepper, onion (Grind or blend)
-Mix water with cowpea flour and beat until mixture is fluffy
-Add ground spices (ginger, hot pepper and onion) and salt to cowpea flour in bits and continue to beat
-Add water and stir to mix evenly and to obtain a soft dropping consistency cooking
-Put oil on fire and add chopped onions
-Drop mixture by spoonfuls in the hot oil and fry, turning occasionally until golden brown (frying may take about three minutes)
– Take the cakes from hot oil, drain in a colander and place on kitchen paper to extract excess oil
• Serve hot with corn, millet or sorghum porridge or alone as a snack
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Nutrition
Benefits of millet
– High nutritional value: Millets are a rich source of nutrients, including protein, fibre, and micronutrients like magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
It also has a low glycemic index. This makes it an ideal food for people with diabetes or anyone looking to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
– Gluten free: Millet is naturally gluten-free, making it an excellent choice for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It’s also a great alternative to wheat for people looking to reduce their gluten intake.
-Promotes digestive health – The high fibre content in millet makes it an excellent food for promoting digestive health. It can help to prevent constipation and reduce the risk of colon cancer.
-Aids weight loss – Millets have a low calorie count, and they are an excellent food product for weight loss. They help to maintain energy levels throughout the day, preventing the need for constant snacking and overeating. Millets also keep you satiated for longer than other carbohydrates, as they take time to get digested and absorbed into your body.
-Keeps blood sugar levels low – Millets have a low glycaemic index, which makes them an excellent food for regulating blood sugar levels. Consuming millets regularly can lower your risk of developing diabetes.
-Boosts Immunity – Millets provide a great source of protein and can help develop and strengthen your immunity. A stronger immune system means fewer chances of you catching diseases.
-Reduces cardiovascular risks – The essential fats found in millets provide our bodies with good fats which prevent excess fat storage, effectively lowering the risk of high cholesterol, strokes, and other heart complaints. The potassium content in millets regulates your blood pressure and optimises your circulatory system.
-Prevents asthma – The magnesium content in millets can reduce the frequency and severity of migraines and asthma complaints. Unlike wheat, they do not contain the allergens that lead to asthma and wheezing.
-Helps your digestion – Millets are a rich fibre source that benefits digestion by alleviating bloating, gas, cramping, and constipation. Good digestion keeps issues like gastric/colon cancer and kidney/liver complaints away.
-Acts as an antioxidant – Millets help the body detox because of their antioxidant properties. Quercetin, curcumin, ellagic acid, and other valuable catechins flush out toxins from your body and neutralise the enzymatic actions of your organs.
Source: wafflemill.com
