Banku

Ghanaian fermented corn and cassava dough: smooth, tangy, and dense, served with whole grilled tilapia in pepper and tomato sauce, the defining meal of the Ewe and Fante peoples of Ghana's south

Origin: Volta Region and Southern Ghana

From the journey of Corn.

Banku is one of Ghana's great staple foods, distinct from kenkey in both method and character. Where kenkey is fermented corn dough wrapped in husks and steamed, banku is a blend of fermented corn dough and raw cassava dough cooked together in a single pot, stirred continuously into a smooth, cohesive mass. The fermentation, two to three days for the corn, gives banku its characteristic sourness, a flavour that defines the food culture of the Volta Region, home of the Ewe people, and the coastal south, home of the Fante. Banku is always eaten by hand, a piece pinched off and used to scoop the accompanying stew or soup. The classic pairing is with whole tilapia, grilled over charcoal until the skin chars and crisps, served in a sauce of fresh pepper, tomato, and onion. At roadside restaurants along the coast from Accra to Takoradi, this pairing dominates every menu. The combination of tangy, dense banku against the smoky, flaky fish and the sharp pepper sauce is one of the essential flavour experiences of Ghanaian cooking.

Ingredients

Banku

300 g white corn meal (wet-fermented for 2–3 days as a paste, or use sour corn meal)
150 g cassava flour or raw grated cassava
400 ml water
1 tsp fine salt

Tilapia

4 whole tilapia (400–500g each), cleaned and scored

Pepper sauce

4 medium tomatoes, blended
4 fresh scotch bonnet peppers (reduce to taste)
1 large white onion, half blended, half sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt and seasoning cube (Maggi)

Method

To ferment corn: soak corn kernels or corn meal in water for 2–3 days at room temperature, changing the water once daily. The mixture will develop a sour, tangy smell; this is correct. Drain, blend smooth, and combine with an equal-weight slurry of cassava flour mixed with water. Alternatively, use shop-bought sour corn meal (sold at African grocery stores) and mix with cassava flour.
Mix the fermented corn paste and cassava paste together until smooth. Pour into a heavy-bottomed pot with 200ml water and set over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
Cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring and folding continuously (the 'bankye' motion; folding the dough against the pot sides). The banku is ready when it is smooth, cohesive, pulls from the pot sides, and a piece pinched off doesn't stick to your fingers.
Wet your hands and shape the banku into smooth balls (one per person). Set aside covered.
For the tilapia: season the fish inside and out with salt, garlic, and a little oil. Grill over very hot charcoal or under a hot grill for 5–6 minutes per side until the skin is charred and the flesh flakes easily.
For the pepper sauce: blend tomatoes, scotch bonnets, and half the onion smooth. Fry the sliced onion in oil for 5 minutes. Add the blended pepper-tomato sauce and cook on high heat for 15–20 minutes until reduced, darkened, and the raw tomato smell is gone. Season with salt and Maggi.
Serve each ball of banku alongside a whole grilled tilapia with the pepper sauce spooned over or alongside.

Notes

Banku differs from kenkey in that it uses a blend of corn and cassava (kenkey is pure corn), is not wrapped in husks, and is cooked by continuous stirring rather than steaming. The sourness of banku is a point of pride; it should be distinctly tangy, not bland. Okro (okra) soup and light soup (tomato and pepper broth with fish) are traditional alternatives to the pepper sauce. In Ewe communities, banku is eaten with the right hand, a small ball pressed with the thumb to form a spoon shape.

The Gastrographer

Name: Banku
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Volta Region and Southern Ghana
Ingredients: 300 g white corn meal (wet-fermented for 2–3 days as a paste, or use sour corn meal); 150 g cassava flour or raw grated cassava; 400 ml water; 1 tsp fine salt; 4 whole tilapia (400–500g each), cleaned and scored; 4 medium tomatoes, blended; 4 fresh scotch bonnet peppers (reduce to taste); 1 large white onion, half blended, half sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp salt and seasoning cube (Maggi)

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control