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Fermented Corn and Cassava Doughs

Fermentation is an important culinary technique in tropical countries such as Ghana, especially of starches such as maize (corn) and cassava (also called yucca or manioc). While it is easy to buy freshly prepared corn dough or cassava dough in Ghana, in North America there are generally three choices: 1) make your own; 2) buy an imported “instant powder” version; 3) buy pre-frozen dough from Ghana. For many years, my only option was to make my own, but today with advances in processing techniques and transportation, I am more likely to buy frozen dough, such as Nina’s fermented corn meal (no cassava) or corn and cassava dough. I still find the instant powders do not suit me. Note: While Banku in Ghana is made from both corn and cassava dough, in the U.S. I was taught to make it only with corn dough, which was easily available. I follow that custom here.

In case you do not have access to imports, the traditional “Western” way of making your own dough is given here.

I once asked a food scientist in Ghana why the fermented corn dough in Ghana tastes different from the one I make here in the U.S. I already knew that the dry milled corn flour was coarser than the wet milled corn found in Ghana. He explained that it may partially be because they are different varieties of corn and different bacteria, but primarily because the starches change to sugar differently in the unground and ground corns. Finally, while some people express (possibly excessive) concern about possible aflatoxins on corn that has not been properly dried and processed, this is not a problem for commercially available cornmeal in the United States.

Fermented Corn Dough

Banku Dough

When I was first married, I tried valiantly to ferment masa harina, only to discover that the lime processing of that flour prohibited fermentation from taking place. Here is one way to make your own dough. Note that it takes several days before the fermented dough is ready to use. While people generally prefer white cornmeal in Ghana, yellow cornmeal may be substituted.

Ingredients

3 cups white Indian Head cornmeal or similar stone ground cornmeal

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

1. Put 3 cups of cornmeal into a nonreactive container, like glass or ceramic. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and mix them together well using a wire whisk.

2. Add 2½ to 3 cups of lukewarm water (add a little more if the dough seems very dry). Mix thoroughly with a whisk, cover lightly with a cloth or paper towel and leave to sit in a warm place (counter, stovetop, or oven) for several days, stirring once a day.

3. The dough should begin to bubble up as it ferments. If any mold forms on top, carefully scrape it off. The longer it ferments, the sourer it will become. I usually give mine about 3 days, depending on how warm the weather is. (Some people suggest adding a little vinegar to get the sour taste, but I do not.)

To serve: See recipes on pages 186 and 187.

Fermented Cassava Dough

The Ewe people number between 3 and 6 million, mostly living in Southeastern Ghana in the Volta Region and also southern parts of neighboring Togo and Benin. While Barbara Baëta can and does prepare dishes from all ten regions in the country (and far beyond), she is an Ewe woman and her heart belongs to places like Keta along the coast. On her own table, she displays a love of dishes featuring the riches of the sea and coast along with dishes including cassava dough, such as Akple (page 189), the Ewe version of Banku. It is my understanding that the main difference between the two is fermentation and the cassava dough (Banku is mostly made from fermented corn dough and some cassava dough in Ghana, though I usually make my Banku with just fermented corn dough; Akple is made from unfermented corn and cassava dough).

Here is my approach to creating the cassava dough. Finding fresh cassava is the first challenge. It is a root and will likely be called yucca in U.S. markets. It does not keep well and will probably be coated in wax. Ask someone in the produce department to cut a few tubers in half before you buy them to make sure they are not rotten.

Ingredients

1 pound tubers of fresh cassava/yucca

Directions

1. Peel the cassava and drop them in some water. To peel: cut the ends off, cut the cassava root in half at the center, and then use a sharp knife to peel back the dark bark and remove it. If you also cut the pieces horizontally, you will see a stringy piece running down the center of the cassava; pull it out or grate it along with the rest of the cassava.

2. Grate the cassava into a clean bowl. I use the “fine” side of a box grater. You should end up with around 2½ cups of grated cassava.

3. Put the cassava in a nonreactive bowl (glass, plastic, stainless steel) and add ½ cup of water and swish the cassava and water around with your fingers or a spoon.

4. Drain the wet mixture. My strategy is: put the grated cassava into a clean pillowcase and double it over, then place the pillowcase on a latticed patio chair or similar surface outside with a plastic pan under it to catch the starchy water draining out. (Put a paper towel between the chair and pillowcase). Then place a bowl weighted down with rocks on top of it, and leave it outside in warm, dry weather (a garage would be an alternative). Not elegant, but it works.*

5. After 2 or 3 days, you should have a dry, tightly pressed together clump of cassava. Place 1 cup of water (or more, if necessary) and the cassava in a blender, and blend to a smooth dough/paste. This dough may be used immediately or frozen. (See recipe using it: Akple, page 189).

* This process is awkward and cumbersome (which is why I don’t usually make my own), but the toxins in cassava, and the need to weight it down heavily and allow the liquid to drain out, mean it isn’t something I’d do in the kitchen. To avoid the mess, one should just buy frozen cassava dough, if available.