Koko and Koose are a typical West African breakfast.
The koko is a spiced millet porridge.
It is a popular street food in Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo and commonly consumed as breakfast. It is made with many grains, including millet, with the addition of some local spices to give it a particular flavor and color.
Sugar, milk, and peanuts are sometimes added for flavor.
It is called Hausa koko in areas where it was introduced by Hausa-speaking people.
In Northern Ghana, the term “Hausa koko” is not used. Instead, the porridge made with millet is called “za koko” in Dagbanli.
The Koose is a spicy black-eyed pea fritter commonly consumed in West Africa. Sometimes, it is inserted into bread and called “Koose Bread” or “Paanu Kooshe”.
It is common in West Africa among the Hausa people of Northern Nigeria, the Dagomba people of Ghana, and other parts of West Africa, including Sierra Leone and Cameroon.
In Nigeria, it is known as “akara”, for the Dagbamba of Ghana it is known as “Kooshe”, the Ewe call it “agawu” and some in the Zongo community as “koose tankuwa”.
But it can also be found in Caribbean and South American countries: in Brazil, it is “acaraje” and in Cuba “bollitos de carita”.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 2 Days 8 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Stove, Frying
- Cuisine: African
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups millet
- to taste spices (cloves, pepper, and ginger)
- to taste salt and sugar (as desired)
- 1 1/2 cups black-eyed peas
- 1 onion
- 1/2 chili pepper
- to taste ginger
- to taste salt
- to taste vegetable oil
Steps
Wash and soak the millet in water for 6-8 hours or overnight.
Drain and blend the millet with the spices and some water until smooth.
Cover and allow to ferment at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Strain the fermented mixture to remove the husks.
In a pot, bring water to a boil and gradually add the strained mixture, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a creamy consistency is achieved (about 10-15 minutes).
Adjust salt and sugar to taste.
Wash and soak the beans in water for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Drain and remove the skins by rubbing the beans between your hands.
Blend the beans with onion, chili peppers, ginger, and some water until smooth and thick.
Adjust salt to taste.
Heat oil in a deep pan.
Using a spoon, drop portions of the mixture into the hot oil and fry until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels.
