About this Dish
Ghana's iconic combination — banku (a fermented corn and cassava dough cooked into a smooth ball) served with whole grilled tilapia fish, fresh pepper sauce and shito (black pepper sauce). Banku has a distinctive sour flavour from the fermentation that complements the smoky fish perfectly. The grilled tilapia must be charred on the outside — too pale and it lacks the flavour that makes this combination extraordinary.
IngredientsServes 2
🌽Fermented corn dough, 500g (ferment ground corn in water for 2-3 days until sour)
🍠Fermented cassava dough, 250g (ferment alongside corn or buy ready-made)
🐟Whole tilapia fish, 2 medium (scored deeply on both sides)
🌶️Fresh red chillies, 6 whole
🧅White onion, 1 large
🧄Garlic cloves, 4
🍅Roma tomatoes, 3
🫙Shito (Ghanaian black pepper sauce), 4 tablespoons store-bought or homemade
🧂Salt, to taste
🫒Vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons
Method
1
Score the tilapia fish deeply 3-4 times on each side so the seasoning penetrates the flesh. Mix salt, half the garlic crushed, and a little oil into a paste, then rub it all over the fish and into the scores. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.2
To make the fresh pepper sauce, blend the chillies, tomatoes, onion, and remaining garlic together until roughly smooth — not too fine, you want a little texture. Fry in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes until the raw smell cooks off and the sauce darkens. Season with salt and set aside.3
To cook the banku, combine the fermented corn dough and cassava dough in a heavy-bottomed pot with about 400ml of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a sturdy wooden spoon, breaking up any lumps. As it thickens and starts to pull away from the sides, lower the heat and keep stirring and folding hard for 20-25 minutes until very smooth, stiff and glossy. Wet your hands and shape into smooth balls.4
Grill the tilapia over hot charcoal or on a very hot cast iron grill pan — this is crucial for getting the proper char. Press the fish firmly onto the grill and do not move it for at least 5-6 minutes per side so it chars and crisps rather than steams. You want dark, almost blackened patches on the skin — this is where the real flavour lives.5
Serve the banku ball alongside the charred tilapia on a large plate. Spoon the fresh pepper sauce generously over and around the fish, and add a good dollop of shito on the side for dipping. Eat with your hands — pinch off a piece of banku, press a dent into it with your thumb, and scoop up fish and sauce together.6
Slice the remaining onion into thin rings and serve alongside the grilled fish as a fresh garnish. Plate by placing one banku ball beside a whole grilled tilapia, spooning the fresh pepper sauce generously over the fish, adding a good dollop of shito on the side, and finishing with the raw onion rings.User Reviews
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