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Asaana (caramelised corn drink)
Asaana: Ghana's ice-cold soured corn drink sweetened with dark caramel
Chilled in plastic bottles and sold from cool boxes at lorry parks, schools and roadside stalls, asaana is one of the most loved soft drinks in Ghana. Maize is soaked, ground and left to sour for a day, then boiled and strained, and the pale liquid is coloured and sweetened with sugar caramelised almost to bitterness. The result is tangy, toasty and refreshing, a little like a light malt drink. Boiling after the souring stops the fermentation, so asaana is a non-alcoholic drink. It needs about two days of mostly hands-off waiting. Chef's tip: take the caramel to a deep mahogany colour before adding water; pale caramel is the usual mistake and gives a flat, sugary drink without the classic toasted edge.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the corn base
- 14 oz dried white or yellow maize kernelsor 400 g coarse maize grits
- 6 ¼ cups waterfor soaking
- 8 ¼ cups waterfor blending and boiling
For the caramel
- 9 oz sugar
- ¾ cup hot water
To serve
- ice cubes (optional)
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Day 1: rinse 14 oz dried white or yellow maize kernels and cover with 6 ¼ cups water in a large bowl. Cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 24 hours, until the kernels are soft enough to dent with a fingernail.
Step 2: Day 2: drain, then blend the corn in batches with 4 ¼ cups water (1 litre) until as fine as possible. Pour into a clean bowl, cover and leave at room temperature for 18–24 hours, until it smells pleasantly sour and has a few bubbles.
Step 3: Pour the soured corn into a large pan with the remaining 4 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time so it does not catch, then simmer gently until it thickens slightly and smells cooked, like popcorn.
30 minStep 4: Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin, pressing the solids well. Discard the solids and let the liquid cool.
Step 5: For the caramel, melt 9 oz sugar in a dry heavy pan over a medium heat, swirling, not stirring, until it turns dark mahogany and just begins to smoke.
8 minStep 6: Take off the heat and carefully pour in ¾ cup hot water, standing back as it spits. Stir over a low heat until the hard bits dissolve.
3 minStep 7: Stir the caramel into the corn liquid, taste and add a little water if it is too sweet. Chill well and serve over ice cubes. Keeps 3 days in the fridge in a closed bottle; shake before pouring.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 185 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does asaana (caramelised corn drink) take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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