Banku and Tilapia
Where did you spend your last vacation? Probably not in Ghana because you would have smiled at the title.
Like other Ghanaian dishes such as fufu, rice balls, red-red, waakye, banku and tilapia has become a delicacy for most Ghanaians, adding to the delicious and irresistible Ghanaian cuisine.
Banku is an indigenous fermented meal of maize and cassava. It is prepared using corn and cassava.
While the tilapia is a regular tilapia fish, grilled and spiced and served fully.
There is nothing more delicious on a hot afternoon or cool evening than a ball of soft banku and spicy-grilled tilapia with fresh pepper and shito to kill your hunger.
In more recent times, this mouth watering combination has grown to become the most sort after Ghanaian delicacy that used to be very cheap but now not so affordable.
Apart from the mouth-watering nature of a grilled tilapia, its sumptuous taste, coupled with its appetising and attractive sight because of garnishing, has made the meal the favourite of most Ghanaians. Grilled tilapia, mostly eaten with banku and hot pepper, is served in almost all leading restaurants, as well as at some special joints.
A few flags to watch out for when you visit the motherland;
- On a first date, don’t freak out if she orders Banku and tilapia
- At weddings, Banku and tilapia will make it there
- Funerals are not an exception
- A typical Ghanaian occasion is virtually meal less without Banku and tilapia.
Enjoying the moment
The tilapia is normally served fully with the head and tail as most people feel cheated without those parts.
Chit-chatting with a few patrons of the mouth watering Ghanaian delicacy this is what they had to say;
“Banku and tilapia dier 3y3….”
Literally meaning Banku and tilapia is good.
“I love banku and tilapia with hot pepper on a hot afternoon because the fish is not fried. But I enjoy the eye of the tilapia than any part of it,” Kwame Asante said.
“With the hot pepper, banku and tilapia is just a perfect one,” Obed Ayisi.
“McCoy! Forget the banku, the Tilapia does all the magic” Baaba reassured me.
“My favorite part is the head; the “engine”, no head, no tilapia! Franscis”
Banku and tilapia has more or less become the order of the day. Over taking the Shawarmas, French fries and other empty meals.
It isn’t surprising for a girl to order a small ball of banku against a well-grilled and spicy-hot “dolphin” on a first date for a 150 GH cedis.
Banku and tilapia is the new truth. But be careful where you order for a plate. You just might not be ready.
Just so you know, it’s $300.00 on Kempinski’s menu.
