Ingredients
- 1 whole tilapia
- 2 medium size fresh tomatoes
- 4 pieces of scotch bonnets (kpakpo shito)
- 3 medium size onions
- Spices
- Corn dough
- Cassava dough
- Water
- Salt
- Chunked/sliced fresh tropical fruits (papaya, lime)
Preparation
- Season and grill your whole tilapia.
- Blend the pepper (scotch bonnet), onions and tomatoes. Add salt to taste. (Note: if you really want the true African cooking experience, you can do this using a mortar and pestle).
- Mix the corn and cassava dough into a smooth paste. Add a pinch of salt.
- Heat your paste in a saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon (banku ‘ta’). Stir gently until it starts to thicken.
- As it gets thicker and gathers at the bottom of the wooden spoon, apply more force.
- Reduce the heat, hold the pot in place with a napkin or sackcloth and start to beat through with the wooden spoon. Do this for about 6 minutes with brief stops in between.
- Use the wooden spoon to create perforations in the thick mass, add water, increase the heat and cover to cook.
- Check on your banku and make sure the water does not fully dry up. Repeat the kneading process until smooth.
- When smooth to your satisfaction, use a smaller bowl to shape the banku into preferred serving sizes.
- Put 1 or 2 banku onto a plate, add the grilled tilapia on one side and dish the blended pepper at another side.
- Garnish with fresh chunked tropical fruits and enjoy.
