Abanka is a traditional Ghanaian dish made from grated cassava, palm oil, and various spices. It is a staple food in many parts of the country and is often served with a variety of stews, soups, and sauces. Abanka is also known as fufu or akple in other regions of West Africa.
There are many different recipes for abanka, but the most common ingredients include cassava flour, water, palm oil, salt, and spices such as garlic, ginger, and pepper. The cassava flour is mixed with water to form a dough, which is then cooked in boiling water until it becomes thick and sticky. Once cooked, the dough is pounded with a wooden pestle and mortar until it becomes smooth and fluffy. The abanka is then served with a variety of stews, soups, or sauces, such as okra soup, palm nut soup, or tomato sauce.
Abanka is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a good source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and vitamins and minerals. The different recipes included in this article provide a variety of ways to prepare and enjoy this traditional Ghanaian dish.
CHOCOLATE BABKA RECIPE
Provided by Shiran
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Place flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed until combined. Add eggs and water, and mix on medium speed until dough comes together, 2-3 minutes. Add butter, adding a few cubes at a time, mixing on low-medium speed, until incorporated. Continue mixing for about 10 minutes on medium speed, until dough is completely smooth, elastic and shiny. It would look soft and might be sticky - that's ok. During mixing, you will need to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With floured hands, transfer dough to a large bowl brushed with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for at least half a day or overnight. The dough may not look like it has risen much, that's ok. If placed a long time in the fridge the dough can become hard, that's ok, too; leave it at room temperature until it's easy to work with, 30-60 minutes.
- Grease two loaf pans (I usually use 9×5 inch pans but a bit smaller or larger pans would work too) with oil and line the bottom and sides of each pan with parchment paper for easy release later on. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan place chocolate, butter, heavy cream, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt, and bring just to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce heat to low and mix until melted and completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool. It would thicken and become spreadable as it cools. You can place it in the fridge for a short while until you get a spreadable consistency.
- Divide dough in half. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle measuring 16x12 inches (40x30 cm). Position dough so that a long side is closest to you. Using an offset spatula, spread half of the chocolate mixture over the rectangle.
- Use both hands to roll up the rectangle like a roulade, starting from the long side closest to you and ending at the other long end. Press to seal the dampened end onto the roulade, then use both hands to even out the roll into a perfect thick cigar. Rest the cigar on its seam.
- Using a serrated knife, gently cut the roll in half lengthwise, starting at the top and finishing at the seam, essentially dividing the log into two long even halves, with the layers of dough and filling visible along the length of both halves. With the cut sides facing up, gently press together one end of each half, then lift the right half over the left half. Repeat this process, but this time lifting the left half over the right, to create a simple two-pronged plait. Gently squeeze together the other ends so that you are left with the two halves, intertwined, showing the filling on top. Carefully lift the cake into a loaf pan. Don't worry if there are gaps in the pan since the cake will rise and will eventually look fine, even if it looks messy at this point. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and leave to rise at room temperature for 1 to 1½ hours until almost doubled in size. Repeat to make the second cake.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C, making sure to allow plenty of time for it to heat fully before the cakes have finished rising. Remove plastic wrap, and place cakes on middle rack of oven. Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top. If you have a thermometer, you are looking for an internal temperature of about 200ºF/93ºC degrees.
- While the cakes are in the oven, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from heat and set aside to cool. As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, brush the syrup over them. Use all of the syrup, even if it looks a lot. Let cakes cool until they are warm, then remove from pans and let cool completely before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Babka will stay fresh for 24 hours in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not place it in the fridge. It also freezes well for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave at room temperature for 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
SAVORY BABKA WITH RICOTTA AND HERBS
This cheese-filled bread has the same soft, rich dough of a traditional babka, but instead of being filled with cinnamon or chocolate, it has an herb-speckled, garlic-scented ricotta swirled throughout. Some optional chopped ham or olives give the bread an even saltier tang, but you can leave it out for something milder. Leftover babka makes excellent toast or - if you want to take it to another level of gooeyness - grilled cheese sandwiches.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories snack, breads
Time 3h30m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- In a small saucepan on the stovetop, or in a bowl in the microwave, warm the milk until lukewarm, but not hot (about 110 degrees). Add yeast and pinch of sugar, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until slightly foamy.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, a food processor, or using a large bowl and a wooden spoon, mix the flour and salt. Beat or process in the yeast mixture and eggs until the dough comes together in a soft mass, about 2 minutes. It's OK if a little flour remains on the bottom of the bowl.
- Add half the butter and beat until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Beat in the rest of the butter and continue to beat until dough is stretchy, another 5 to 7 minutes. At this point, all the flour should be worked into the dough. If not, add a teaspoon or two of water, and beat for another minute or so.
- Butter a clean bowl. Form the dough into a ball and roll it around in the bowl so all sides are buttered. Cover the bowl with a plate or dish towel, and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place, like the inside of a turned-off oven with the oven light on, until it puffs and rises, anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours. It may not double in bulk, but it should rise.
- Press the dough down with your hands to expel the air, cover the bowl again and refrigerate overnight. (In a pinch, you could chill the dough for 4 hours, but it won't develop as much flavor.)
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients until smooth. Taste and add more salt and black pepper, if needed. (If you used ham or olives, you probably won't need more salt.) Filling can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerated.
- Butter a 9-inch loaf pan, then line with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of overhang for pulling the babka out later.
- Put the dough on a floured surface and roll it into a 9-by-17-inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly onto the dough, going all the way to the edge. Starting with a long side, roll into a tightly coiled log. Bring one end of the log to meet the other, then twist the dough, pinching together the ends to seal.
- Place dough into the prepared pan. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy. (It won't quite double.)
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the top of the babka with more softened butter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until the top is deeply golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. The babka should sound hollow if you tap it on the bottom once it's unmolded. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center will read 185 degrees. Transfer to a wire rack. Babka is best served still a little warm.
ADANA KEBABS
Provided by Marian Burros
Categories dinner, easy, main course
Time 45m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Slice the onion as thinly as possible, and mix in the sumac, crushing the onion to release the juices.
- Prepare stove-top grill, and grill whole peppers and tomato halves until they are tender; set aside.
- Combine the lamb, chopped onions, garlic, red pepper, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, and knead to make a paste.
- Divide into 4 equal portions, and mold on 4 flat skewers to make long sausage-like rolls.
- Grill lamb kebabs on all sides, until they are browned.
- Heat bread, and serve with kebabs, with onion-sumac relish and peppers and tomatoes on the side.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 826, UnsaturatedFat 27 grams, Carbohydrate 42 grams, Fat 55 grams, Fiber 12 grams, Protein 45 grams, SaturatedFat 24 grams, Sodium 316 milligrams, Sugar 20 grams
Tips:
- Use fresh, ripe bananas. This will ensure that your abaná cake is moist and flavorful.
- Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can make the cake tough.
- Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This will prevent the cake from being undercooked or overcooked.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting it. This will help the frosting to set properly.
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months.
Conclusion:
Abaná cake is a delicious and easy-to-make dessert that is perfect for any occasion. With its moist texture, flavorful banana taste, and creamy frosting, this cake is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you're looking for a special treat, give abaná cake a try!
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