Ogi, also known as Pap or Akamu, is a traditional cereal pudding and popular street food in Nigeria, typically made from maize, sorghum, or millet.
Preparation
Traditionally, the grains are: 1. Soaked in water for up to three days. 2. Wet-milled or ground and sieved to remove husks. 3. The filtered cereal is poured into a cheesecloth to remove excess water. 4. The resulting starch can then be stored (in the cloth or refrigerated). 5. When ready to eat, it is boiled into a pap or cooked further into a creamy pudding known as Agidi or Eko.
Serving
Ogi is often served with:
- Moin moin (steamed bean pudding)
- Acarajé (deep-fried bean cake)
- Bread
Choice of accompaniment varies by individual preference.
Variants
In Kenya, a similar porridge is called uji (not to be confused with ugali). It is typically made with millet and sorghum, served during breakfast or dinner, often with a thinner, gravy-like consistency.
Fermentation
The fermentation of ogi is driven by a mix of: - Lactic acid bacteria, including Lactobacillus species - Yeasts, such as Saccharomyces and Candida species
See Also
- Boza(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boza) – Fermented grain drink
- Fermentation in food processing(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentationinfood_processing)
- List of African dishes(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ListofAfrican_dishes)
- Mageu(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mageu) – African fermented beverage
- Poi(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poi_(food)) – Starchy Polynesian dish
- Pozol(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozol) – Fermented corn drink from the Americas
- Komfot Pap – Pap manufacturer in Nigeria
References
- Traditional Nigerian food culture archives
- Food microbiology and fermentation journals
- Komfot Pap Nigeria