Kenkey

Kenkey (also known as kɔmi, otim, kooboo or dorkunu, dokunu) is a staple swallow food similar to sourdough dumplings from the Ga and Fante-inhabited regions of West Africa, usually served with pepper crudaiola and fried fish, soup or stew. Kenkey is produced by steeping grains of maize in water for about one week, then milling them and kneading them with water into a dough. The dough is allowed to ferment for four days to a week before part of the dough is cooked. Areas where kenkey is eaten include Ghana, eastern Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and western Benin. It is usually made from ground corn (maize), like sadza and ugali. It is popularly known as kɔmi (pronounced kormi) by the Gas or dokono by the Akans in Ghana. In the Caribbean, there are variations of an indigenous dessert of Mesoamerican origin, i.e. sweet tamale, which was adopted by Africans brought to the region during slavery and indentureship. As such, African influence can be found in the names of the variations like: ducana (in Antigua and Barbuda), duckunoo, duckanoo (also blue drawers or tie-a-leaf in Jamaica), doukounou (in Haiti), ducunu/ dukunu (also tamalito in Belize), and dokonon (in French Guiana). In Guyana, it is called conkie (pronounced /kankee/). In Trinidad and Tobago it is called paime (pronounced /pay-me/), and differs in that it does not contain plantain, but may include coconut, pumpkin and/or raisins.