Ghana Etor (Mashed Yam or Plantain) Recipe

Whereas many today celebrate their birthdays with cakes, traditional Ghanaian Etor was used to commemorate such events in the past. This traditional food is predominant among the Akans and Gas in Ghana.

Ingredients

1. 500g or 1lb of pins Yam or 4-5 sticks of riped plantain

2. Salt as required

3. Water to boil the Yam or Plantain

4. 4 tablespoons of red palm oil

5. 1 onion sliced

6. 1 clove garlic

7. Fresh pepper (bird’s eye chilli, scotch bonnet, petite bell, habanero) as required

8. 4 tablespoons groundnut or peanut paste

Preparations

1. Remove peels of yam or Plantain and cut into smaller pieces and rinse in water. Put yam or plantain into a saucepan, add salt to taste and enough water to boil

2. Put saucepan with yam or plantain on high heat, cover tightly and cook for 15 minutes or until cooked through. When cooked through, drain the water and set aside

3. While yam or plantain is cooking, put a small saucepan on a very low heat and pour into it ¼ of the red palm oil and half of the sliced onions. Fry on low heat till oil is softened and off the heat.

4. Using asanka, ayewa and apotoyewa, grind the rest of the onions, garlic and fresh pepper until smooth. Add the cooked yam or plantain and mash it until there are no lumps. If you are using plantain, you will add the peanut paste as well.

5. Add two tablespoons of the red oil first and use the apotoyewa to blend it with the mashed yam or plantain evenly. Add the rest to your preference.

NB: Serve Etor with hard boiled eggs and avocados.