Banku and Grilled Tilapia with Pepper Sauce
In short: Soft fermented corn and cassava dough served with whole tilapia grilled with ginger and pepper, plus a fresh ground tomato and chili sauce. It takes about 1 h 25 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Resting
- 24 h
- Total
- 1 h 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 660 kcal
Banku with grilled tilapia is a coastal Ghanaian favorite, served at chop bars and seaside stalls across the country. Banku is a smooth, slightly sour dough of fermented corn and cassava, stirred over heat until stretchy and shaped into balls. The tilapia is scored, rubbed with ginger, garlic and pepper and grilled until the skin chars, and a raw sauce of ground tomato, onion and scotch bonnet brings the heat. You eat it with your hands.
Instructions
- The day before, whisk the cornmeal and cassava flour with the 500 ml (2 cups) batter water in a bowl. Cover and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, until pleasantly sour.
- Mix the ginger, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, lime juice and oil. Rub it over the fish, into the cuts and the cavity, and marinate for 30 minutes.
- Blend or pound the tomatoes, onion, scotch bonnet and salt into a coarse raw sauce. Set it aside.
- Heat the grill or broiler to high. Cook the fish for 8 to 10 minutes per side, until the skin is charred in places and the flesh is opaque at the thickest point (63°C / 145°F).
- For the banku, bring the cooking water and salt to a boil in a heavy pot and lower the heat to medium. Stir the fermented batter, pour it in and stir hard with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes as it thickens into a lumpy paste.
- Add 60 ml (1/4 cup) water, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Then stir vigorously, pressing out the lumps against the pot, for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth, sticky and stretchy.
- Rinse a bowl with water, scoop in a portion of banku and swirl it into a ball. Repeat, and serve with the fish and pepper sauce.
Tips
- Short on time? Skip the fermenting and stir 2 tbsp lime juice into the batter for a milder sourness. Fermented corn dough from African grocers (400 g with the cassava flour left out) is the authentic shortcut.
- No grill? Bake the scored fish at 220°C (425°F) for 25 minutes. Cut the slashes deep so the marinade reaches the center.
Questions and answers
Is banku the same as kenkey?
Both are fermented corn dough foods, but kenkey is steamed or boiled in corn husks or leaves. Banku is stirred over heat in a pot, so it is softer and smoother.
Is it safe to ferment the batter at room temperature?
A day at room temperature is traditional. A yogurt-like sour smell is normal, but discard the batter if it smells rotten or shows mold.
What else can I serve with banku?
Okra soup, fried fish, grilled mackerel or shito all go well. Banku is mild by design, so it is served with something hot and flavorful.
How long does it take to make Banku and Grilled Tilapia with Pepper Sauce?
About 1 h 25 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Banku and Grilled Tilapia with Pepper Sauce?
About 660 kcal per serving, with 35 g of protein, 88 g of carbohydrates and 15 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 660 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbohydrates | 88 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 1100 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
