Kenkey

I am very proud of the Kiva Organization.  I have been a member now for 4 years.  Kiva helps by providing loans for those in need who repay the money over a period of time. When you become a member, you fund a loan for someone who uses it to improve their situation and you are given progress updates over the life of the loan. As the famous expression says: If you give a man a fish he can eat for only one day, but if you teach him how to fish, he will eat for his whole life.  I strongly believe in giving a hand or helping people to be self-sufficient rather than just giving to charity.  Self respect and pride for one to be able to provide for themselves is far more important than giving a handout.
             
This recipe will be something new to my readers in learning how the other side of the world eats and how we take food for granted in this country. I wish that one day everyone in this world will be as lucky as we are today with our abundance of food and that no one will go hungry.

From NiftyNoshing.blogspot.com

Through the Kiva Organization, I help the woman in the photo at the top, Esi Ekumanba, who lives in Ghana.  She lives in the village of Krofofordo with her five children.  She sells "Kenkey."  Kenkey is make from ground corn (maize).  This is how she makes it:

1. Let the maize ferment before cooking.
2. Partially cook the maize in a large pot.
3. During the process of cooking, stir continuously with a large wooden ladle to achieve a solid paste and smooth consistency. The half-cooked dough is then left to cool for some time. 
4. It is then wrapped in banana leaves, and steamed. 
5. Fante kenkey can be eaten with fried fish and hot pepper sauce.

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Health Benefits of Maize/Corn

From Organicfacts.net

Health benefits of corn include controlling diabetes, prevention of heart ailments, lowering hypertension and prevention of neural-tube defects at birth. Corn or maize is one of the most popular cereals in the world and forms the staple food in many countries including USA, Africa etc. It not only provides the necessary calories for daily metabolism, but is a rich source of vitamins A, B, E and many minerals. Its high fibre content ensures that it plays a role in prevention of digestive ailments like constipation and haemorrhoids as well as colorectal cancer. The antioxidants present in corn also act as anti-cancer agents and prevent Alzheimer’s.

• Rich Source of Calories: Corn is a rich source of calories and forms a part of the staple diet among many populations. The calorific content of corn is 342 calories per 100grams, among the highest in cereals.
• Prevention of Haemorrhoids and Colorectal Cancer: The fibre content of one cup of corn amounts 18.4% of the daily recommended amount. This aids in alleviating digestive problems such as constipation and haemorrhoids, as well as lowering the risk of colon cancer.
• Rich Source of Vitamins: Corn is rich in vitamin B constituents, especially Thiamin and Niacin.Thiamin is essential for maintaining nerve health and cognitive function. Niacin deficiency leads to Pellagra; a disease characterised by diarrhoea, dementia and dermatitis and is commonly observed in malnourished individuals. Corn is also a good source of Pantothenic acid which is a vitamin necessary for carbohydrate as well as protein and lipid metabolism in the body. Deficiency of folic acid in pregnant women leads to birth of underweight infants and may also result in neural tube defects at birth. Corn provides a large chunk of the daily folate requirement. Yellow corn is a rich source of beta-carotene which forms vitamin A in the body, essential for maintenance of good vision and skin. The kernels of corn are rich in vitamin E, a natural antioxidant essential for growth.
• Provides Necessary Minerals: Corn contains abundant phosphorus apart from magnesium,manganese, zinc, iron and copper. It also contains trace minerals like selenium. Phosphorus is essential for maintenance of normal growth, bone health and normal kidney functioning. Magnesium is necessary for maintaining normal heart rate and for bone strength.
• Antioxidant Properties of Corn: According to studies carried out at Cornell University, corn is a rich source of antioxidants which fight the cancer causing free radicals. In fact, cooking increases the antioxidants in sweet corn. Corn is a rich source of a phenolic compound ferulic acid, an anti-cancer agent which has been shown to be effective in fighting tumours in breast cancer and liver cancer. Anthocyanins, found in purple corn also act as scavengers of cancer-causing free radicals.
• Cardio-Protective Attributes: According to researchers, corn oil has been shown to anti-atherogenic effect on the cholesterol levels, thus preventing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• Prevents Anaemia: The vitamin B12 and folic acid present in corn prevent anaemia caused by the deficiency of these vitamins.
• Lowering LDL Cholesterol: According to Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, consumption of corn husk oil lowers plasma LDL cholesterol by reducing cholesterol absorption by the body.
• Protection against Diabetes and Hypertension: Consumption of corn kernels assists the management of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and is effective against hypertension due to the presence of phenolic phytochemicals in whole corn.
• Cosmetic Benefits: Corn starch is used in the manufacture of many cosmetics and may also be applied topically to soothe skin rashes and irritations. Corn products can be used to replace carcinogenic petroleum products which form major components of cosmetic preparations.