Aprapransa

Ingredients

Roasted corn flour

• 300 gcornmeal

The pot

• 500 gbeef, in 3 cm cubes
• 4whole crabs, cleaned and halved, or 300 g crab claws
• 400 mlpalm nut cream (abenkwan base)
• 1large onion, blended
• 3tomatoes, blended
• 1scotch bonnet, blended
• 2 tbspdried ground shrimp or crayfish
• 1stock cube
• 1½ tsp salt
• 800 mlwater
• 3 tbsppalm oil

Directions

1. Toast the cornmeal in a dry heavy pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 12–15 minutes until it turns a shade darker and smells strongly of popcorn. This roasting is what gives aprapransa its colour and its whole character; raw cornmeal makes a different and much duller dish.
2. Season the beef with salt and simmer it in the water with half the blended onion for 30 minutes, until nearly tender. Keep the stock.
3. Add the palm nut cream, blended tomato, remaining onion, scotch bonnet, ground shrimp and stock cube. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes until the soup thickens and the oil begins to rise.
4. Lay the crab pieces on top, cover and steam 8 minutes, then lift them out and set aside so they do not break up in the stirring.
5. Now add the roasted cornmeal to the hot soup a handful at a time, stirring hard with a wooden spatula after each. It swells and stiffens quickly, so keep the additions small.
6. Stir over low heat for 8–10 minutes until it comes together as a thick, smooth, deep-red mass that pulls from the sides of the pot. Beat in the palm oil at the end for gloss.
7. Return the crab, fold through gently, and serve mounded on a platter, eaten with the fingers from a shared dish as at Homowo.

Technique

• Roast the cornmeal properly and let it cool before it meets the soup. Adding it hot makes it seize into lumps.
• Add it gradually. All at once and you get a dry, lumpy mass that cannot be rescued.
• The soup must be well seasoned before the flour goes in — once it stiffens you cannot adjust it.

Substitutions

• Smoked fish or dried shrimp alone, without the crab, for an everyday version.
• Tinned palm nut cream is what almost everyone uses; extracting it from fresh nuts is an afternoon’s work.

Variations

• A version with smoked turkey or goat instead of beef.
• Made without crab and served as a side to a separate soup.

History

A Fante coastal dish of the central region, stirred stiff and traditionally served at Ga and Fante festivals such as Homowo.

Frequently asked questions

What is Aprapransa?

Aprapransa is a main from Ghana: roasted corn flour stirred into palm soup with crab and beef. A Fante coastal dish of the central region, stirred stiff and traditionally served at Ga and Fante festivals such as Homowo.

How long does Aprapransa take to make?

Aprapransa takes 25 min of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Aprapransa?

Yes, within limits. Smoked fish or dried shrimp alone, without the crab, for an everyday version. Tinned palm nut cream is what almost everyone uses; extracting it from fresh nuts is an afternoon’s work.

What is the most important thing to get right in Aprapransa?

Lay the crab pieces on top, cover and steam 8 minutes, then lift them out and set aside so they do not break up in the stirring.