Masa (Waina)

Ingredients

• 400g short-grain or tuwo rice
• 100g cooked white rice, cooled
• 2 tsp fast-action dried yeast
• 60ml warm water
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 small onion
• 2cm piece fresh ginger
• 150ml water for blending
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil for the pan

Before you cook

• Rinse the raw rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in cold water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Stir the yeast and one teaspoon of the sugar into 60ml of warm water and leave it for 10 minutes until frothy.
• Peel the onion and the ginger.

Steps

1. Drain the soaked rice and tip it into a blender with the cooked rice, onion, ginger and 150ml of water.
2. Blend for 3 minutes to a thick, smooth batter with no grains left in it.
3. Scrape the batter into a large bowl and stir in the frothy yeast and the rest of the sugar.
4. Cover the bowl and leave it somewhere warm for 4 hours, or overnight in a cool kitchen.
5. Stir the risen batter down; it should smell faintly sour and be full of bubbles.
6. Beat in the salt and the baking powder and let the batter stand for 10 minutes.
7. Set a masa pan or a deep egg-poaching pan over medium heat and brush each hollow with oil.
8. Spoon batter into each hollow until it is two thirds full.
9. Cook for 3 minutes, until the tops set matte and small holes open across the surface.
10. Turn each cake with a skewer and cook the second side for 2 minutes until golden.
11. Lift the masa into a cloth-lined basket and cook the rest of the batter the same way.
12. Serve them hot with yaji pepper spice or a bowl of stew.