Acha Porridge

Ingredients

• 2 big cups of Acha (fonio grain), washed thoroughly
• 2 cooking spoons of groundnut oil or butter
• 1 big onion, finely sliced
• 2 Atarodo (hot chilli peppers), blended
• 2 big handfuls of ground crayfish
• 1 big handful of smoked fish or cooked chicken
• 1 tablespoon of dawadawa
• 3 glasses of water or light stock
• 2 seasoning cubes (Knorr), crushed
• Salt to taste

Method

1. 01

   Washing the Acha. Place the Acha grain in a fine sieve or muslin cloth and wash very thoroughly under running water — Acha grains are tiny and will escape through large-holed sieves. Wash until the water runs completely clear.

2. 02

   Frying the Base. Heat 2 cooking spoons of groundnut oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add sliced onion and fry 2 minutes. Add dawadawa and fry 1 minute. Add blended Atarodo and fry 5 minutes.

3. 03

   Adding Protein and Stock. Add smoked fish or cooked chicken, ground crayfish, seasoning cubes and salt. Add 3 glasses of water or light stock. Bring to a boil.

4. 04

   Cooking the Acha. Add the washed Acha to the boiling seasoned broth. Stir once. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the Acha is fully cooked and has absorbed most of the liquid. Acha cooks much faster than rice.

5. 05

   Finishing. The finished Acha Porridge should be fluffy, lightly bound with the spiced broth and slightly porridge-like. It should not be stiff or dry — it retains a slightly moist, loose quality. Taste and adjust seasoning.

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