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Tankora Powder

Tankora Powder is a traditional Ghanaian recipe for a classic one-pot dish of mixed wild game and wild animal meats coked with rice and spices in a tomato and chicken stock base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ghanaian version of: Tankora Powder).

prep time

10 minutes

cook time

10 minutes

Total Time:

20 minutes

Makes:

1 small jar

Rating:

Tags : Chilli RecipesVegetarian RecipesSpice RecipesGhana Recipes

This is a classic Ghanaian spice powder, that is the traditional flavour base for Chichinga (Suya). This is essentially the Ghanaian equivalent of the meat seasoning known in Nigeria as yaji.

The recipe here also calls for toasted maize flour. This is a flour where the maize kernels are toasted before being ground down to a fine flour. Traditionally African mealie maize is used (this is a hard maize kernel) which is lightly toasted before being ground down to a flour. This toasted maize flour is available from African and AfroCaribbean stores, but if you cannot find it, then it is possible to substitute popcorn. Take the popcorn and place in a heavy cast iron skillet. Cook, shaking the pan constantly, for about 6 minutes, or until just before the kernels begin to pop. Take off the heat and pour onto a chilled plate (this prevents them from heating further and popping). Now grind the toasted kernels in a coffee or spice grinder. Sift the ground kernels and re-grind any large bits until you have a fine flour.

Ingredients:

100g powdered kuliklui balls (deep fried peanut powder balls)
30g toasted maize flour
1/2 tsp hot chilli powder (or to taste) [for authenticity use piri-piri powder or Scotch bonnet powder]
1/2 tsp ground ginger
salt, to taste (if the peanuts used to make the kulikuli were salted you will only need about 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp dried green bell pepper, ground (to make this dry rings of bell pepper in an oven on its lowest setting for a few hours then grind to a powder)
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 prawn-flavoured Maggi cube, crumbled
1/4 tsp ground Ashanti pepper (optional)

Method:

Making this spice blend is simplicity itself, simply stir all the ingredients together in a bowl then store in a jar until needed. It will keep for a few weeks, but is best made fresh.

Typically it's used to season beef before roasting. It is also used as a flavouring for a range of soups and stews.