Best banku and tilapia recipe: step by step guide
Some people call the famous banku and tilapia dish a portion of food for the champions or warriors probably because it's an energy-packed cuisine. Well, it could also be because it is used to recharge the body and secondly the famous Ghanaian boxer who is nicknamed Bukom Banku claims to take this meal for breakfast, lunch and supper. Whichever the actual reason might be, it will inevitably remain one of the irreplaceable traditional Ghanaian meals of all time.
The famous banku and tilapia have taken over the Ghanaians nightlife. A while ago everyone used to go crazy for fried rice known as ‘check check’. However, things are different now as Banku and tilapia are the reigning meal. This has offered double the advantage since people can now enjoy a healthy snack and a boost in business.
How to prepare banku and tilapia
Gone are the days when people were caught up in the dilemma of which is better between banku and tilapia or fish and chips as the choice is pretty much apparent at the moment. The best banku and tilapia are prepared by adequately preparing each of the dishes. Here are the banku and tilapia recipe with a step by step guide on how to make each. We have also included banku and tilapia images
Banku recipe
Here are the ingredients required:
Ingredients
- Corn dough
- Cassava dough
- Salt
- water
Preparation
- Thoroughly wash your hands before you begin to prepare the meal.
- Mix the corn dough with the cassava dough in a pot. Mix and mash the dough to form a smooth paste as you ensure that you remove all the fibre pieces and the lumps.
- Using your hands continue mixing until the dough forms a paste-like mixture. When it gains an extremely smooth consistency, add a pinch of salt.
- Place your pot with the mixture on medium heat fire and stir gently using a wooden stirrer. (Banku ‘ta’). Continue stirring gently until the paste begins to thicken.
- The mixture will continue to get thicker and thicker with time such that it begins to gather at the bottom of the wooden stirrer. At this point, you will be required to add more force as it getting harder.
- Lower the heat and using sackcloth or a napkin, hold the pot in one place and use a wooden spoon to beat through the mixture. Continue with the beating for roughly six minutes as you make brief stops in between the beating.
- Create some perforations on the thick mass using the wooden spoon and add water. Increase the fire, cover the pot and leave it for around 10-15 minutes to cook thoroughly.
- Check on the mixture to make sure that the water doesn’t dry up completely. Repeat the process of kneading until you achieve the smoothness of your choice.
- When it gains the smoothness of your satisfaction, take a smaller bowl and use it to shape it into you desired serving shapes and sizes.
How to grill tilapia
Here are the ingredients required:
Ingredients
- Fresh tilapia
- Natural spices such as garlic, ginger, rosemary
- Pepper
- Onion
Preparation
- Get the tilapia ready by removing the scales. Wash the fish with warm water and salt to get rid of all the slime.
- Cut it open on both sides and well as the belly.
- Create the seasoning by blending the ginger, garlic, onion and pepper.
- Use the blended mixture to dress and rub the entire fish and leave it for 10-15 minutes so that it absorbs the seasoning.
- Grill the seasoned fish using the oven or through the local African way, by using firewood.
- Turn it side to side to ensure that it gets well grilled. As you turn it, be sure to be glazing the fish with some oil to prevent the fish from burning or getting stuck on the grill.
- After a few minutes of intermittent glazing and turning the grilled tilapia is ready
READ ALSO : Best banku with groundnut soup recipe in Ghana
Pepper sauce
Banku with tilapia goes well with pepper sauce.
Ingredients
- One Fresh tomato (chopped)
- One large onion (sliced)
- Seasoning cubes
- Hot pepper
- Salt
- Natural spices such as garlic, ginger, rosemary
Preparation
- Blend all the natural spices and the onion.
- Heat up oil in a frying or saucepan and add in the blended mixture and stir
- Let them cook for a minute and add in the chopped tomato and seasoning cubes. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir gently, reduce the heat, lid the pan, and allow them to simmer until you get a juicy and spicy sauce.
With the three dishes ready, you can serve tilapia and banku with the pepper sauce.
Banku and tilapia joints
Considering that banku and tilapia Ghana is one of the most consumed dishes by Ghanaians, there are several joints where you can be served with this dish. Here are some of the Banku and tilapia joints in Accra.
- Buka Restaurant
- The Chop Bar and Restaurant
- Yenkodi Restaurant Accra
- Philipo’s Tilapia Joint
- Duncans Joint
Banku and tilapia are one of the meals that you have to try out. If you want it homemade, follow the procedure above. If you wish to have it on the go, be sure to locate any of the joints above and enjoy this traditional cuisine.
READ ALSO : How to prepare plain rice and stew in Ghana
Source: YEN.com.gh