A Ghanaian delicacy

Peel the husk gently. Take a morsel, not too big and not too small, make it into a round ball with all five right fingers. Dip it into the red and black sauce garnished with fishes and vegetables all over. Swallow it and the joy on your face will prove how you enjoyed your first morsel and no doubts you will enjoy the rest of the food.

That is how ‘Kenkey’, one of Ghana’s favourite meal is eaten. Pass every corner in any region of the country, and trust me you would surely find a ‘Kenkey’ seller in that corner. It is mostly known amongst the people of Greater Accra precisely the Ga’s and also the Fante’s in the Central Region as ‘Kome’ and ‘Fante d)kono’ respectively. ‘Kome’, its local name is said to be a corrupted name of ‘corn mill’. Instead of corn mill which the local people couldn’t mention, they resorted to the mentioning of kome which gradually became a word.

It is made from ground corn and goes through different processes. Corn is soaked in water for a day and then sent to the mill for grinding. The flour after milling is mixed with warm water and left for two to three days to ferment into maize dough. The fermented dough is kneaded with the hands until it is thoroughly mixed and slightly stiffened.The mixture is divided into two equal parts. One part of the fermented mixture is partially cooked and stirred continuously for about ten minutes and added to the uncooked dough and mixed well. This mixture is divided into serving or selling sized pieces and wrapped in a cornhusk. However for the fante d)kono, it is wrapped in plantain leaves. The pieces are put in a large pot and cooked for one to three hours depending on their sizes and thickness. No air must penetrate the cover once the pot is put on fire or else the Kenkey would go bad. Water in the pot is to be checked timely to avoid drying and if there is the need to add water, pour it on the sack covering the barrel for it to soak into the Kenkey.

This meal best goes with fish and a hot sauce. To make it even more delicious, sliced pear can be added to it. Fante d)kono can also go well with tomato sauce or palava sauce. You will get your kenkey at one cedi per ball and the fish may range from two cedis depending on what fish you choose. The business of Kenkey has however moved to a high level were you can order it and it would be delivered to your doorstep for a fee of course.

Kenkey can also be converted into a beverage and mostly called ‘mashke’ amongst the local people. To prepare it, mash the Kenkey with a little water until you get a smooth texture. Add your preferred amount of water and mix together and keep in the refrigerator to chill. Add sugar, milk and groundnut to taste and you’re good to go.

Kenkey has lots of nutritional benefits which helps growth and development in the body. It is made up of complex carbohydrates, low protein, low fats and high in fiber. It also helps in digestion because of its high level of fiber which aids in digestion and regulates body sugar. Eating Kenkey helps combat fat by reducing blood cholesterol level and also helps to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and lower blood pressure. Kenkey doesn’t cost much and can be eaten at any time of day. Make an effort to add Kenkey to your diet to help aid your growth and improve your health. It can be eaten at any time of the day.