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Ogi (Sweet Corn Porridge) for Toddlers

Sweet Ogi — corn porridge — is the food that virtually every Nigerian was raised on. It is the first food given to babies transitioning from breast milk, the daily breakfast of toddlers and young children across all Nigerian ethnic groups, and a deeply nostalgic comfort food for adults who remember eating it sweetened with sugar and enriched with evaporated milk on school mornings.

Ogi (Sweet Corn Porridge) for Toddlers, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 big cup of Ogi powder (fermented corn pap / akamu)
  • 2 to 3 glasses of water
  • Sugar or honey (honey only for children over 1 year) to taste
  • A generous swirl of evaporated milk or full-fat cow's milk
  • Optional enrichment for older toddlers: 1 tablespoon of ground crayfish powder, 1 tablespoon of moringa powder — stir in off the heat

Method

  1. 01

    Dissolving the Ogi Perfectly. Place the Ogi powder in a bowl. Add 4 big big tablespoons of cold water gradually while stirring constantly with a spoon or small whisk until completely smooth and absolutely lump-free. For toddlers, zero lumps are acceptable — pass through a fine sieve if any lumps remain.

  2. 02

    Boiling the Water. Bring 1 and a half glasses of water to a full rolling boil in a small saucepan.

  3. 03

    Cooking the Ogi. Pour the dissolved Ogi paste slowly into the boiling water while stirring continuously and quickly with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat immediately to medium-low. Continue stirring for 4 to 5 minutes until the Ogi is completely smooth, cooked through and at the correct consistency for the child's age — thinner (flowing easily off the spoon) for younger babies, thicker (falling off the spoon in blobs) for older toddlers.

  4. 04

    Sweetening and Enriching. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly — never feed hot Ogi to a child. Stir in sugar or honey to taste. Add a generous swirl of evaporated milk. If enriching with moringa or crayfish powder for older toddlers, add now and stir well.

  5. 05

    Temperature Testing. Always test the temperature on the inside of your wrist before feeding — the Ogi should feel comfortably warm but not hot.

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