I'm reflecting on Asham, as I prepare my lesson
plans, write reflections and create content to fill my portfolio while teaching
at Spanish Town High School.
Break time at school was not complete when I was
younger if you didn't eat Asham and it was a treat when going home. Growing up
as a child, I always assumed that Asham was actually a plant that grew on a
tree.
Recently, however, I've discovered that Asham, an
African Twi word that means “parched, ground corn” is really an amalgam of
ground corn and sugar.
More reason for you to run out to buy some branded
sugar, especially as Seprod and GraceKennedy are getting into the branded sugar
game as which will have to be regulated my blog article
entitled “Why
Seprod and GraceKennedy are expanding into the Branded Sugar Market in Jamaica”.
So how do you make Asham?
How
to make the original Jamaican Asham - As Jamaican as salted peanuts, gizzada,
peanut cake and grater cake
The ingredients are all quite easy to get, albeit
you might have some difficulty getting corn downtown:
1. 2
cups dry corn kernels
2. 1
deep thick- bottomed pot
3. Brown
sugar
4. Mortar
and pestle
To make the original Jamaican Asham will require
some elbow-grease using the following method:
1. Place
the pot over medium heat
2. Add
the kernels to the hot pot
3. Stir
the kernels occasionally using a large spoon
4. Remove
from heat when the kernels change colour to dark-brown
5. Place
the parched corn kernels in a mortar
6. Pound
with the pestle until it has a consistency similar to sand
7. Sift
into a dry bowl
8. Stir
in the sugar
9. Store
in air-tight plastic container
A bit of advice when storing Asham is that you
should keep in an airtight container.
Then place some silica gel packs in a plastic bag
with small holes punched in it to help remove moisture from the airtight
container as explained in my blog article
entitled “Preserving
Food at MICO - How to make Vegetables, Eggs and Shordy Bread last forever”.
Eating it is fairly easy; place it in the palm of
your hand and lick it. Not only is Asham a great treat for students, but it's
also an interesting and nutritious snack that deserves to be mass produced in
Jamaica, like salted peanuts, gizzada, peanut cake and grater cake.
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