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2 cups
fermented corn dough
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1 cup
fermented cassava dough
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3 cups
water
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1 tsp
salt
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2 whole
whole tilapia fish, scaled, gutted
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2 tbsp
fresh ginger, grated
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4
garlic cloves, minced
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1
scotch bonnet pepper, finely minced
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2 tbsp
vegetable oil
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1
red onion, diced
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2
fresh tomatoes, diced
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1
Mix 2 cups fermented corn dough, 1 cup fermented cassava dough, 3 cups water, and 1 tsp salt in a pot until smooth.
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2
Place the pot over medium heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until thick and smooth.
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3
Knead the dough against the sides of the pot until firm, then shape into smooth balls.
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4
Score 2 whole scaled, gutted whole tilapia fish and season with 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 finely minced scotch bonnet pepper, 2 tbsp vegetable oil, and extra 1 tsp salt.
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5
Grill 2 whole scaled, gutted whole tilapia fish over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
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6
Serve the cooked banku hot with grilled fish, 1 diced red onion, and 2 diced fresh tomatoes.
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About Banku and Tilapia
Also called: banku with tilapia, banku and pepper with tilapia, banku and grilled tilapia
Banku and tilapia is a Ghanaian meal of banku, a soft, slightly sour dough cooked from fermented corn dough and cassava dough, served with a whole grilled tilapia and a fresh pepper relish. It is a common chop bar and roadside grill order, especially along the coast. Banku is made by stirring the fermented doughs with water and salt over heat until thick, then kneading it against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon until smooth and firm. The fermentation gives it a mild sour taste that suits grilled fish and hot pepper.
Banku mix (premixed fermented corn and cassava dough) is sold in African groceries and is what most home cooks outside Ghana use. The pepper served alongside is usually a ground raw relish of fresh chili, onion and tomato, which is what the raw onion and tomato here stand in for.
Serving and keeping
Serve banku hot, wrapped or covered so it stays soft, with the fish and relish on the side; it is eaten by hand. Banku keeps 2 days wrapped in plastic in the fridge and reheats by steaming.
Variations
Ground pepper
Grind the scotch bonnet with onion, tomato and salt into a coarse paste and serve it in place of the diced salsa.
Corn dough only
Make banku with fermented corn dough alone for a firmer, more sour dough.
With okra stew
Serve the banku with okra soup instead of grilled fish.
If it goes wrong
Banku is lumpy
Mix the doughs and water smooth before heating (step 1), then stir continuously as it thickens. Keep pressing lumps against the pot.
Banku is sticky and soft
Cook and knead it longer against the sides of the pot until it is firm and pulls away cleanly (step 3).
Fish sticks to the grill
Oil the scored fish and the grate, and do not turn it until the first side releases on its own, around 8 minutes.
Fish is dry
Pull it at 145 F. Whole fish keeps cooking from residual heat.
Substitutions
- fermented corn dough: banku mix, or a 2:1 corn and cassava dough sold premixed. Premixed banku mix replaces both doughs; use the package ratio of water.
- whole tilapia fish: whole red snapper or sea bream. Similar size and grilling time.
- scotch bonnet pepper: habanero. Same heat level.
Questions
What internal temperature should Banku and Tilapia reach?
For Banku and Tilapia, the target internal temperature is 145 F (about 65 C), given in step 5. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.
Why score it in Banku and Tilapia?
The shallow cuts in step 4 let fat render and seasoning reach further in, and they keep the surface from curling as it tightens in the heat.
Is there a substitute for Scotch bonnet in Banku and Tilapia?
The entry for Banku and Tilapia calls for 1 scotch bonnet pepper, finely minced. In its place: Habanero has the same heat and a similar fruitiness. For much less heat, use a jalapeno and a strip of orange bell pepper.
Is Banku and Tilapia spicy?
Yes, it is properly hot. The heat in Banku and Tilapia comes from 1 scotch bonnet pepper, finely minced. For a milder plate, remove the seeds and ribs from the pepper, or use half; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.
Does Banku and Tilapia contain fish?
Yes: 2 whole whole tilapia fish, scaled, gutted. The full allergen list for this entry is fish. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.
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