Homemade Akamu (Pap, Ogi, Corn Porridge) – thick, creamy, and silky smooth breakfast porridge made from fresh corn. A healthier alternative to your usual oatmeal. Best served as it is or with any doughy sides.
It’s uncharacteristically cold here, in Los Angeles, these days. I’m not all that ready for the chill of winter. I don’t think I will ever be ready. I will be spending a lot of days indoors, so my sister-in-law is whipping up some akamu (from scratch) also known as pap or ogi and I am going to watch her do it. She tells me she got this… who am I to disagree?
It will take a couple of days for it to come together though, but it worth it. She wants to make it with both fresh and dry corn. It takes better with fresh corn, she says. To be honest, I have never tasted pap with fresh corn – stay tuned. 
Akamu is a breakfast porridge that is very common in most African countries. What name you call these creamy, corn porridge, depends on what part of Africa you live in. In Nigeria and Cameroon; it is named pap, Akamu, or Ogi. In South Africa, and Ghana it is disguised as porridge, Millie pap or koko. 
In this recipe, corn is left to soak for a couple of days till tender, then it is finely ground in a food processor, passed through a sieve and left outside to ferment and voila –Akamu. 
So after trying both fresh and dry corn, I would say fresh corn tastes really good however, it does not yield enough pap to feed everyone (We used Fresh American Corn which is very different from African fresh corn -10 ears of corn only yield about 1 -2 cups of pap and labor-intensive – am out! Unless she makes it. Enjoy this corn porridge with puff-puff, akara, bread, or perfect on its own.
Watch How To Make It
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Homemade Akamu (Pap, Ogi, Corn Porridge)
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Ingredients
- 10 corn on the cob
- water for soaking
- water for simmering
- sugar or milk to taste
Instructions
- Place dry peeled corn in a bowl, cracked corn is preferable - will take a shorter time to become tender.
- Soak corn in lots of water, for about 4-5 days until tender (depending on the corn used ). This corn only took 3 days before it was ready to go.
- Blend corn in a heavy-duty blender into a fine smooth consistency.
- Sieve corn to remove any corn chaff; usually peeled corn has very little.
- Let it sit outside for about 3 days. This is to help the corn achieve the distinctive sour taste associated with pap. (It is ok to have bubbles on top).
- Be sure to drain the water daily – the smell is not too pleasant.
- After draining the water, you will have a very thick akamu mixture. At this point, the pap is ready to be cooked.
- However, you may further drain the akamu using a cheesecloth or muslin bag. Tie in a tight bundle and let it sit until all the water runs out. It will come together and firm up. Cut it up.
- Wrap in plastic and store in the fridge.
- When ready to use, place akamu in water and simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until it thickens up.
- Adjust for thickness with water. Add sugar and or milk. Serve warm.
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Place dry peeled corn in a bowl, cracked corn is preferable- will take a shorter time to become tender. 
Soak corn in lots of water , for about 4-5 days until tender-(depending on the corn used ) . This corn only took 3 days before it was ready to go. 
Blend corn in a heavy duty blender into a fine smooth consistency. 
Like this ! 
Sieve corn to remove any corn chaff usually peeled corn has very little . 
Let it sit outside for about 3 days . This is to help the corn achieve the distinctive sour taste associated with pap. 
(It is ok to have bubbles on top) 
Be sure to drain the water daily – the smell is not too pleasant. 
After draining the water you will have a very thick akamu mixture. At this point the pap is ready to be cooked. 
However, you may further drain the akamu using a cheese cloth or muslin bag. Tie in a tight bundle and let it sit until all the water runs out . 
It will come together and firm up. 
Cut it up. 
Wrap in plastic and store in the fridge . 
When ready to use place akamu in water and simmer for about 3-5 minutes , until it thickens up. 
Adjust for thickness with water . Add sugar and or milk . Serve warm .
Oluwasolabomidaniel says
Pls share d recipe of making akamu with fresh corn plzzzx
ImmaculateBites says
It’s the same recipe – just follow the steps using fresh corn.
Oge says
Hello, pls I need your help. I need to make pap and dry it(turn it to powder) but don’t know how to dry it. If you have an idea, I’ll be delighted.
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry I don’t know how to do that . I just freeze mine
UFUOMA says
IS ITT POSSIBLE FOR U NOT TO SEE ANY CHAFF FROM UR GRINDED CORN WHEN SEIVING BECAUSE MY WAS TOO SMOOTH I DID NT SEE ANY CHAFF AFTER SEIVING IT,IS IT NORMAL
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, it is . I don’t have any chaff at all.
queen says
Where can we purchase cheese or Muslim bag
ImmaculateBites says
In the super market depending on your location. Just ask for for it.
Angela says
Pls how do i get the pap dried . i want it to be in powderd form
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry don’t know how. Just make it for home use.
Chizzy says
Just crumble and spread on a tray and keep under the fan or outside if you have sun. That is after u must have drained the left over water with the muslin bag.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Chizzy! Thanks for taking the time to share
Funmilayo says
What i do is after making the pap i dry them to powder….. Bcos i normally sent mine to my cousin abroad
Oluwaseun says
Hello. Please kindly share. How do you dry the pap into powder?
chidinma Juliet thankGod says
hi good morning, I bought yellow corn from the market, and I did grind it dry without soaking,when I got home I soaked it that way,adding fresh ginger and zobo spice mixed in water to it…it’s already day 3 will I get my akamu from this too?I’m in Nigeria. …will it work?
ImmaculateBites says
I cannot say for sure, because I haven’t used those ingredients in making Akamu.
tee says
please what corn should i use… i am a little lost
ImmaculateBites says
Cracked dry corn is preferable (I used white hominy corn), sold in hispanic markets, depending on your location
joy says
Please how long can the pap stay in the freezer after draining the last bit of water and will the taste still be OK. Thanks.
ImmaculateBites says
The longest I have had it for is 2 months tightly wrapped.
Ama says
In Ghana, Hausa Koko is different from Nigeria’s Ogi.
ImmaculateBites says
Good to know Ama.
Ngala Nadege says
this is great, please how can one make dry corn pap. I really need to know so i can send out of the country or preserve for a very longtime. thbanks
ImmaculateBites says
Nagia, Sorry I have never tried making dry pap before.
bibi says
you are doing a wonderful job, your just amazing. I wish to know the brand of a good food processor please.
ImmaculateBites says
Bibi, I like cusinart-It really does a great Job. Check it out at amazon and see which size best suit your needs.Thanks
Not sour says
I made this using white hominy corn however my akamu does not have the tangy sour taste. What did I do wrong?
ImmaculateBites says
Homemade Akamu without additives is not too sour.During the summer , you can definitely have that acidity.However, during the winter months it is hard to get it sour.I usually add a teaspoon or more of lemon to the akamu.
Not sour says
Thank you for your reply. When do I add the lemon juice? When preparing it to eat or when blending the corn?
Joy says
I soak the corn for more that two days can i still use it,but i change the water daily
ImmaculateBites says
Yes, you sure can.
Kira - HealthAble Old Soul says
I have never even heard of this!!! This defiantly is on my list because I love the taste of corn!
Isabelle says
I love this, I used to make it from scratch in Cameroon, but I never tried in the USA because I was not confident enough to try it with the corn sold here. Also, you said you used a heavy duty blender, can you advice any brand on that, I don’t have one yet, still looking for a very good one. Thank you for posting this.
Africanbites says
Isabelle,the blenders I would recommend are Cusinart or kitchen aid, which are fairly reasonably in price and are a good bet . However , if you want to go all out, a Blendec or Vitamix would be perfect . They are pricey but do an amazing job. I used the Vitamix for this recipe.
Isabelle says
Thank you, I will have a look.