Nigerian Ogi recipe (maize pap)

I want some crunch in my Nigerian Ogi…

I am sharing with you my twist to making Nigerian Ogi . Sometimes the simplest meals could be the most difficult, here I am talking of two ingredients. Ogi and water. I have seen many failed attempts at this dish, lumpy ogi, watery ogi ,undercooked ogi ,over cooked Ogi and so on. Hopefully after reading through this you can make a perfect Nigerian Ogi and even add some crunch, sweetness and fruitiness to it

I am one of those Nigerians for whom Ogi may be eaten ones or twice a year. Food has to be chewed or drank but not in between. So when I am confronted with soft textures I try to infuse something to chew. Today’s offering though goes beyond the texture, it is about using natural sugars in our meals whenever this is possible as this helps to maintain good health.

Weekend breakfast in Nigeria will most often feature Akara and Ogi. So my Fruity Ogi will take your breakfast to an interesting new level.

My inspiration for this dish has come from the presence of dry dates everywhere in Lagos thanks to the #ramadan season. I am amazed at so many things we can do if only we look around us and use ingredients available to us. Dry dates are available in markets now mainly hawked my Hausa traders. Now is time to buy the dates and store in the fridge for use now and later. Purple or green seedless grapes are practically are available in shops and green grocers and they are hawked on the streets in traffic jams in big cities in Nigeria so getting grapes is not a big problem.

So pick up some Ogi from the market or a shop near you and enjoy a great Nigerian breakfast of Fruity Ogi with Akara. I will advise that you prepare the fruit topping before making the Ogi, get the Akara ready so you can enjoy the Ogi hot.

 

Recipe for making Nigerian Ogi

1/2 cup Ogi slurry

1 cup Water

Ingredients for topping

1 cup purple seedless Grapes

6 -10 pieces dry Dates

 

 

How to make Ogi?

1. Boil 1 cup water
2. Mix the Ogi slurry with 3 tablespoons water in a pot
3. Add the boiling water slowly to the Ogi slurry and stir rapidly
4. You may have to put the pot on the fire to further cook the Ogi? Whilst  the Ogi is on fire, stir continuously for about 2 minutes
5. Serve hot.

 

How to make reduced Grapes and Date topping

1. Boil 1/2 cup water and boil  the dry dates for about 10 minutes till soft
2. Deseed the dates and chop into small chunks
3. Wash the grapes and place in a pan . Using a spoon smash the grapes to release some liquid . Add the dates to cook with the  grape till soft
4. . You may wish to add about 3-4 tablespoons of water to the fruit to have enough sweet liquid when you spoon it onto the Ogi.
5. Scoop fruits onto the freshly made Ogi. The fruit acts as sweetener. You may wish to also add milk to the Ogi.