Akamu (Nigerian Fermented Corn Pap)

Ingredients

• 2 cups (300g) dried corn kernels
• Water, for soaking and cooking
• Sugar, to taste
• Evaporated milk, to taste

Before you cook

• Rinse the corn kernels and place them in a bowl with plenty of water to cover.
• Soak the corn at room temperature for 3 days, changing the water once a day, until it smells pleasantly sour and the kernels are soft.
• Drain the fermented corn.

Steps

1. Blend the softened corn with fresh water until completely smooth.
2. Pour the blended mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing to extract all the starchy liquid and discarding the fibrous solids.
3. Let the strained liquid sit undisturbed for 2 hours until the starch settles to the bottom.
4. Pour off and discard the clear water sitting on top.
5. Scoop out about 1 cup of the settled wet starch and dissolve it in 1/2 cup of cold water to make a smooth slurry.
6. Bring 2 cups of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan.
7. Pour the cold slurry into the boiling water while stirring constantly.
8. Keep stirring for 3 minutes as the mixture thickens into a smooth, lump-free porridge.
9. Spoon the hot pap into bowls.
10. Sweeten with sugar and splash in evaporated milk to taste before serving.