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Home » African Recipes » How to make the perfect Pap/Akamu/Ogi (African Corn Pudding)

How to make the perfect Pap/Akamu/Ogi (African Corn Pudding)

Published: March 18, 2017 . by Chichi Uguru . This post may contain affiliate links.

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Today's recipe is a special kind of corn pudding common in Nigeria. It's local names include Akamu by the Igbos, Ogi by the Yorubas and generally Pap in Nigeria. It is very similar to the British custard which is made from dehydrated cornstarch with some added flavors.

The major difference between the two puddings is in the production phase. The corn kernels from which the cornstarch is collected undergoes a fermentation process during the production of Akamu whereas the kernels used for custard is unfermented.

How to make the perfect pap/Akamu/ogi

Pap/Akamu (African Corn Pudding)

This fermentation process is what gives  Akamu its signature tangy taste. Akamu is very popular in Nigeria for its benefits to nursing mothers. It is believed  to improve breastmilk production.It is also great for babies. Starting from four months of age. It's serves as a weaning food for baby. It is digested and is kind to baby's tender stomach. Akamu is usually taken warm. It serves as a stand alone breakfast or compliments dishes like: Akara (bean balls), moin moin ( bean cakes) Fried plantains and beans porridge. You can make a dessert of it like we did with our granola papfait

How to make the perfect pap/Akamu/ogi

Akamu is more tricky to make.  If you don't pay close attention it could become a watery or lumpy mess. For some people it's a hit or miss. That used to be me until I got the hang of it. To help others having the same problem I decided to take the guess work out of the equation so I went ahead and weighed the raw pap and measured the quantity of water and voila.

How to make the perfect pap/Akamu/ogi: Process shots

I think I can call myself an Akamu expert because I grew up in a home where we made Akamu from scratch always. (as in the raw materials parts :The buy the corn-wash-soak-wash-grind-sieve-squeeze-store part lol.) Sorry for the emphasis but my mom makes the best Akamu from scratch. We have been making Akamu from scratch for along as forever. In fact I have been trying to get her to commercialize it. Maybe someday we would.

Pap comes in different colors based on the type of grain used as the base.

  • White Pap- white corn
  • Yellow Pap- yellow corn
  • Maroon Pap- guinea corn
  • Greyish Pap- millet

This recipe is a no fail recipe. It is important to note that the Akamu used in this recipe is not in the dry powdered form. It is the wet paste form as shown in the picture below. Feel free to ask any question about this recipe in the comments.

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How to make the perfect pap/akamu/ogi

African Corn Pudding (Pap /Akamu/ Ogi

Chichi Uguru
This African Can pudding is similar to the British custard but differs in its unique tangy taste. it is enjoyed by many and makes for the perfect food to introduce solids to babies.
5 from 9 votes
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 3 mins
Total Time 8 mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Nigerian
Servings 3 -4
Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients
  

For 3 people

  •  ½ cup or 160g Pap paste (Akamu, ogi)
  • 3 ½ Tablespoons room temperature water to mix the raw pap
  • 3 cups boiling water

For one person

  • 50 g Pap
  • 1 tablespoon water to mix
  • 1 cup of boiling water

Instructions
 

  • Put 3 cups of water in the kettle and put on the hub to boil.
  • In a microwave safe bowl* mix 160g pap with the amount of room temperature water stated above.
  • Mix till smooth. It should be have this consistency
    Pap/Akamu (African Corn Pudding)
  • When the water on the stove top boils, pour it from the kettle directly into the pap mixture in a circular motion* while you stir.
  • You will notice the mixture begin to thicken.  it's ready. Stir properly. The 3 cups of water should fit in.
  • Add sugar or cinnamon sugar to taste. And powdered or evaporated milk.
  • Pap served with Akara (bean balls) or moi moi
    Akamu and akara

Notes

Tips: That bit about pouring boiling water from the kettle in a circular motion is important. And the stirring with a spoon too. It helps to prevent lumps. The 3 cups of water should be the exact amount needed. But in case it happens too much (which I doubt) and makes the pap watery, there are 2 things you can do; Pop it into the microwave for about 30 secs. That's why I mentioned at the beginning to mix in a microwave safe bowl Put it in a pot and cook on medium heat while stirring till it thickens.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal
Keyword african corn pudding, akamu, ogi, pap
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Enny

    March 30, 2021 at 6:06 pm

    For like 4 to 5 days,I just seem not to get it right

    Reply
    • Chichi Uguru

      March 30, 2021 at 7:45 pm

      4 - 5 days should be enough. I do 3-4 Maybe it’s the brand of corn you are using.

      Reply
  2. Enny

    March 30, 2021 at 5:03 pm

    Hello ma'am, I usually make ogi from scratch but my ogi never taste sour like the usual nigerian ogi please what am I doing wrong 🥺🥺

    Reply
    • Chichi Uguru

      March 30, 2021 at 5:09 pm

      Hi Enny,

      The sour taste comes from fermentation. The longer you soak the corn the more fermented it will taste. How long have you been soaking yours.

      Reply
  3. baba alhaji

    March 13, 2021 at 7:15 am

    Can one make a pap powder in dry form and package for commercial purpose? If yes, what are the additive ingredients one can use either before milling or after.
    Thank u sir.

    Reply
  4. Vivian

    October 29, 2020 at 3:47 am

    Please how many days do i have to ferment the corn b4 grinding it

    Reply
    • Chichi Uguru

      October 30, 2020 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Vivian,

      You can soak the corn for 2 to 3 days. Make sure you change the water daily. Hope that answers your question. Stay safe and well.

      - Chichi

      Reply
  5. Aina elizabeth

    July 26, 2020 at 2:32 am

    How do I add strawberry/ vallina flavor to my pap. Is it when taking to mill or after draining it is when am to add those flavors. How long can it stay after adding the flavour.

    Reply
  6. Grace

    May 28, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    U really made it easy for me to make my pap without lumps again. Ow do I add flavours like vanilla or strawberry to make my pap taste a bit different from d usuals. Tnk u

    Reply
    • Chichi Uguru

      May 28, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      Hi Grace. Happy to hear you found this post helpful. To add flavor to the pap, add vanilla extract for vanilla flavor, add chocolate powder like milo for chocolate flavor and add dry strawberry powder or strawberry extract for strawberry flavor. Enjoy!
      - Chichi

      Reply
  7. Ronke

    May 11, 2020 at 6:34 pm

    5 stars
    Honestly i found this article very interesting. I love to experiment but i am scared of its outcome. If i want to make my pap myself can i add groundnuts, dried fish or fruits before taking it to the miller? Just want something different from the usual pap we buy or do.

    Reply
    • Chichi Uguru

      May 11, 2020 at 9:58 pm

      Hi Ronke,

      I think it’s best to add those additions when making the already milled pap.

      I remember during my internship in the Pediatrics Dept in Nigeria, addition of crayfish powder was one of the recommendations to improve the nutritious value of pap for children.

      I recall the powder was always added after making the pap or while mixing it with cold water in preparation.

      Therefore I won’t recommend adding them while milling. Esp not the groundnuts. Hope that helps. Stay safe and well.

      - Chichi

      Reply
  8. Christine

    February 06, 2020 at 4:17 am

    5 stars
    If there one thing I can say, it's that I've successfully evaded the responsibility of making Pap all the years of my existence. But I tried your method, (while no one was home, to minimize embarrassment) and it worked out perfectly well. I think I can now boldly add to my resume "made pap perfectly well on first try". Thank you so much for this fail proof recipe.

    Reply
    • Chichi Uguru

      February 25, 2020 at 10:16 pm

      Hi Christine,

      Thank you for your feedback and the added humor in your comment, it made me smile. I am happy you are more confident when you make Pap. I would love your updated resume on that too lol. Hope you get to try more recipes on the blog. God bless 😊

      - Chichi

      Reply
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    August 8, 2020 at 4:08 am

    […] foods were not encouraged in many homes. All our foods were made at home and from scratch even our pap was made from […]

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