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DIY Recipes: How to make Ga komi (Kenkey)

Kenkey is a traditional Ghanaian dish made from fermented white corn consumed by Ga people who call it Komi and the Fante people who call it Dokono.
Ga kenkey served with pepper and fish
Ga kenkey served with pepper and fish

Although we call them kenkey, they have some slight difference in its preparation. While plantain leaves are used in preparing the Fante Kenkey with no salt added, dried corn leaves are used in the preparation of Ga kenkey with the addition of salt.

Today, we focus on how to make Ga komi.

Ingredients

3 cups white cornmeal

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 cups warm water (at 100 F)

1 teaspoon salt

Dried corn leaves

Method

  • Pour the cornmeal and the cornstarch into a large bowl.
  • Add warm water and stir until a smooth dough is obtained.
  • Cover the bowl with a cloth and put it in a warm place for 2 days.
  • Divide the formed dough in half.
  • Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, add salt and reduce heat to medium.
  • Place half of the dough in the water and mix.
  • Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
  • Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the rest of the dough and mix well.
  • Divide the dough into 3 or 4 large portions, form balls and place each ball on a corn leaf.
  • Wrap the corn leaf around each ball by tying it up with a string.
  • Steam as follows:
  • Pour a large amount of hot water into a steamer.
  • Place the packaged kenkey in the steam basket and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
  • Reduce to low heat and steam for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • Serve with hot pepper sauce and fried fish.
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