Asa Akpaakpa (Nigerian Corn Porridge)
Asa akpaakpa is a corn porridge from the Akwa Ibom people of Nigeria, cooked mainly during the maize harvest. Coarse maize meal is simmered in fresh coconut milk and coconut water, which gives the pot a gentle sweetness against the savory dryfish, crayfish and palm oil. Fluted pumpkin leaves go in at the end and wilt into the porridge. It is a seasonal dish worth timing to fresh maize.
Instructions
Grind the dried maize kernels into a coarse meal. Coarse cornmeal works if you have no whole maize to grind.
Crack the coconut and save all of its water. Cut the flesh from the shell into pieces and blend it with some warm water until smooth.
Strain the blended coconut and squeeze the pulp hard to wring out all the liquid. Store-bought coconut milk can stand in for this step.
Pour the coconut water and the fresh coconut milk into a pot. Add the chopped onion, dryfish, ground crayfish and a little palm oil, then bring to a boil and simmer for a short while.
Season with pepper, salt and seasoning cubes. Stir in the maize meal gradually so it does not clump, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add more liquid if needed until the mixture has the thickness of a porridge. Stir in the pumpkin leaves and cook until they soften.
Take the pot off the heat and serve the porridge hot.
Better meat, delivered.
Premium cuts shipped to your door. Skip the grocery store and cook with quality you can taste.
Shop Meatzy →Affiliate link · PicksByRecipe may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
