Kenkey (also known as kɔmi, otim, kooboo or dorkunu) is a staple dish similar to sourdough dumpling from the Ga and Fante-inhabited regions of West Africa, usually served with pepper sauce and fried fish or soup, stew.
Ghana which is among the West African countries with rich traditions and cultures, has several ethnic groups, with each group having its own unique traditions.
Today we will be looking at the Ga Adangbe ethnic group and its famous staple food. The Ga-Adangbe tribe, one of the ethnic groups whose culture is most prosperous and vibrant. The Ga-Dangbe is also known as Ga-Dangme, GaDangme, Ga-Adampa, Ga-Adangme, Ga-Danmeli, Ga-Adampe, Ga-Adangbe, Ga-Adanme, and Ga-Ada.
History of The Ga Adangbes
The Ga-Adangbe came from a city in Egypt called Goshen. The group stayed there for some years, before deciding to leave the city during 672-525 B.C. During that journey, they crossed Ethiopia and then moved to Nigeria. They later migrated to West Africa and eventually stopped in Ghana, which became their permanent home. Ga usually includes Ga-Mashie who migrated from Akwapim, Anecho in Togo, Akwamu, and the surrounding areas. After settling in West Africa, Ga and Adangbe were highly influenced by their neighbors. They even borrowed some of the vocabularies from Guan, particularly the words relating to statecraft and economic activities. Also, other tribes such as Ewe are believed to have influenced the Adangbe.
The Staple Food of the Ga Adangbes
Ga women are highly skilled in preparing different foods and making beer using various natural items. The activities require a lot of knowledge and are labor-intensive. Also, Ga women have been traders since the sixteenth century. Since then, they have been selling their agricultural produce. They mainly sell fish, maize, beer, and even prepared foods. However, their staple food was, and is still, Komi or Kenkey, and it is usually made up of fermented steam corn dough.
The staple food of the people here is the Ga kenkey, a traditional meal enjoyed by all, including other tribes. Kenkey is particularly enjoyed with ground chili pepper and a black sauce locally known as “shito.” It can, however, be served with other soups and stews. It is usually served with fried fish and shrimps.
How To Prepare Kenkey
– Maize grains, which have been bagged after a process of de-husking and drying by farmers, are purchased from retailers.
– The maize grains are soaked in water for three days to allow them to soften and ferment, after which they are washed in fresh water and sent to the corn mill to be ground and made into dough.
– The dough is kneaded until it becomes slightly stiff.
– Half of the fermented dough is cooked, and then it is thoroughly mixed with the uncooked half.
– The mixture is then wrapped firmly in maize husks and boiled for one to three hours, depending on the size and thickness of the wrapped dough, until it’s ready to serve.
Indisposed individuals with little appetite often eat kenkey with “light soup.”
The water used in boiling the kenkey is also considered a very nutritious drink, known as “otinshi nu”.
The kenkey is also used to make ice kenkey, a dessert made from kenkey mixed with water, sugar, powdered milk, and ice.
Not only can you serve kenkey as lunch, but it can also be enjoyed as dessert when mashed. It is surprisingly one of the cheapest, yet nutritious meals you can get. Be sure to visit the joint of a Ga woman in Accra, Ghana, with just a dollar, and you will be left wanting more, but still fully satisfied.
SOURCE: https://yen.com.gh/171559-ga-adangbe-tribe-language-traditional-wear-dances-food-religion.html#:~:text=They%20mainly%20sell%20fish%2C%20maize,of%20fermented%20steam%20corn%20dough.
