Recipe - Akpith (Cornmaize And Bean Flour Snack)

1 One half cup Corn/maize meal
One half cup Soy flour
1 One half tablespoon Baking powder
One half teaspoon Chili powder (optional)
Sugar to taste
1 cup Water
Oil
Salt and pepper

Corn/maize was introduced to Africa from Latin America by the Portuguese,
mainly to provision their slave ships. The grain was quickly accepted
because it grew rapidly and undemanding in cultivation. The name 'maize'
comes from 'mahiz', the word used by the Caribbean Taino Indians from whom
the Europeans probably first learned about the crop. in North American the
English settlers were shown it by local Indians. 'Corn' was a general name
given to any grain, so they called it simply 'Indian corn'.

Columbus noted that maize was "most tasty boiled, roasted or ground into
flour". And in southern Ghana today a common food is 'kenkey', fermented
corn/maize flour balls, wrapped in corn/maize leaves and steamed. Akpith,
this recipe, is more straightforward.

DIRECTIONS: =========== In a large saucepan, boil the water and then in
half of the corn/maize meal and all the soy flour to make a thick porridge.
Add the baking powder, chili powder if using and sugar; season.

Cook this for 10 minutes over a low heat, stirring constantly. Then remove
the pan and set aside to cool for 10 minutes or so.

At this point, mix in the remaining corn/maize meal and combine thoroughly,
adding water to produce a stiff dough.

Now pour enough oil into a pan or wok to give a depth of around 2 inches (5
cms), and heat up. While it is warming mould the dough into balls about 1
inch (2.5 cms) in diameter.

With the oil sizzling hot, slide 4 or 5 balls carefully into the pan and
cook for 23 minutes until they are golden brown.

* Source: The World in Your Kitchen by Troth Wells * Typed for you by
Karen Mintzias

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini