How to prepare Cameroonian Pap / Ogi / Akamu

Who these days will have the patience to soak fresh or dry maize and allow to ferment in soaked water for 3 days then drain and grind using a heavy duty blender, then use a drain bag to keep and collect the starch so as to make our AFRICAN pap . I love the fermented sour taste. It’s so special and different from the modern powder pap meal in our Western AFRICAN shops today. Back in Africa, our moms used to prepare their own pap from scratch. It’s a good thing though. Today, we live in a world where technological development has enhanced and simplified almost every food production process. In our African shops today, it’s very easy to find processed pap in it powder form. This makes life very easy for some of us who have got very tight work schedules and little time to spend in the kitchen. Dry pap flour is just like custard.

The preparation process of pap seem to be very easy but it demands patience and consistency. You must stir consistently as it simmers until done. Some people prefer rich pap while others just want it plain and simple. If your preference is the rich type then you must add milk and sugar. For those who love it plain then you don’t need milk and sugar.

Let’s start cooking;

Author: Annuchka Queen

Prep time : 3 mins

Cook time : 5 mins

Ready : 7 mins

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Pap powder
2 tablespoons of sugar depending on your taste
Milk 1 cup of full creamed milk / powdered milk
Water

Author: Annie Queen

Cuisine: AFRICAN

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 4

METHOD:

In a medium bowl, pour 1 cups of cold water and half cup of processed pap ( maize )meal or fermented corn paste

Smoothen the paste with a wooden spoon until you will have a very smooth consistency.

Add more water to be as watery as you desire because in the course of constant stirring it will thicken to your taste.
Make sure you start stirring rapidly as you turn your cooker on.
Some people like their pap thick and some like it a bit lighter.
You can add some sugar or serve with some sugar.