Ethnobotanical
Leaflets 10: 219-227. 2006. Traditional
Preparations and Uses of Maize in Abdulrahaman, A. A.1 and Kolawole, O. M.2 1Department
of Plant Biology, 2Department
of Microbiology, Issued ABSTRACT Maize is a cereal plant
that produces grains that can be cooked, roasted, fried, ground, pounded or
crushed to prepare various food items like pap, ‘tuwo’, ‘gwate’, ‘donkunu’
and host of others. All these food types are readily available in various
parts of Nigeria among different ethnic groups, notably among which are
Yorubas, Hausas, Ibos, Ibiras, Ishas, Binis, Efiks, Yalas etc. Preparations
and uses of the maize grains varied from group to group, though at time with
some similarities. Apart from food, maize is also useful as medicines and as
raw materials for industries. About 28 food items or dishes and 6 medicinal
values of maize are discussed with aim of making available the divergent
methods of preparations of maize from various ethnic groups. INTRODUCTION Maize
(Zea mays L., Poaceae) is the most
important cereal in the world after wheat and rice with regard to cultivation
areas and total production (Purseglove, 1992; Osagie and Eka, 1998). The name
maize is derived from the South American Indian Arawak-Carib word mahiz. It is also known as Indian corn
or corn in The
global production of maize is estimated to about 300 million tones per year.
145million (or about 50 per cent) are produced in Maize
is prepared and consumed in a multitude of ways which vary from region to
region or from one ethnic group to the other. For instance, maize grains are
prepared by boiling or roasting as paste (‘eko’), ‘abado’, and ‘elekute’ in Nigeria and ‘kenke’ in Ghana, or as popcorn
which is eaten all over West Africa. Traditional methods of preparations uses
of maize are restricted to definite localities or ethnic groups. This trend
was also noted in the traditional preparation and uses of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz,
Euphorbiaceae) by Etejere and Bhat (1985). The current investigations on the
traditional preparations and uses of maize by various ethnic groups in METHODOLOGY Three
methods were used in collection and collation of data. These include oral
interview of local people of different ethnic backgrounds, field trips to
some areas where maize is used in making porridges or dishes, and
consultation of relevant literatures. Preparations and uses as food Maize is an
all-important crop which provides an avenue for making various types of
foods. It also has some medicinal values and serves as raw-materials for many
industries. Grain is the most important part of maize crop. It is put to many
uses. Pap There
are two popular paps in To
prepare paps generally, the maize grains are soaked in cold water inside
earthen pot or clay pot (‘koko’) for 2 to 3 days. Then the grains are washed
with clean water severally and later ground to paste. Water is added and
leave for days with change of water at interval. At this stage, amount desire
may be taken, stirred and poured inside boiling water and stirred until a
semi-liquid porridge (hot pap) is obtained. In some cases, little grains of
guinea corn (Sorghum bicolor (L.)
Moench, Poaceae) are mixed with grains of maize, or guinea corn alone or
millet (Pennisetum americanum K. Schum,
Poaceae) alone may be used to prepare hot-pap (Banigo and Muller, 1972) just
as described above. New improved processing system of manufacturing or
preparing ‘ogi’ was discussed by Banigo et al. (1974). ‘Ogi’ is synonymous to
tea among the indigenous Nigerians. ‘Koko’ is another thin porridge similar
to ‘ogi’ except that it contains tiny lumps of flour to add texture. Preparation
of cold-pap is differs a little. After the grinding of the grains, the ground
paste is filtered using clean, white cloth to get very smooth paste. The
residue of filtration (called ‘eri’ by Yoruba) is used to feed animals. It
may also be sun-dried to make ‘pete’ by Yoruba. This is poured in boiling
water preparatory to making of ‘amala’ (a food prepared with yam flour (Discorea spp. like D. rotundata Poir, D. cayenensis Lam, D. alata L., Discoreaceae). Meanwhile,
remaining fine paste after filtration is allowed to settle down at the bottom
of pot with water on top. The top water which is called ‘omi-eko’ or ‘omikan’ or ‘omidun’ is removed
while the paste is poured in boiling water and stirred to get a semi-solid
porridge. This is then put inside banana leaves (Musa spp. L., Musaceae), or ‘ewe-eko’ as called by the local
people which are arranged inside a small clay pot (kolobo) to give a
characteristic doomed shape. Alternatively, it may be put inside polythene
paper (nylon) – a recent phenomenon. The hot is allowed to cool down and
solidified, and thus become thick porridge (i.e. cold-pap). ‘Omadidi’, which is popular among Isha people,
is similar to ‘eko’ or ‘eko’-tutu but more solid than the latter. There is a
slight difference in its (‘omadidi’) preparation. The half-cooked watery
porridge is poured inside nylons at desire amount and re-cooked inside a pot
containing hot water, this make it more solidified than eko. Major
difference between hot-pap and cold-pap lies in the states they are taken or
served. While ‘ogi’ and ‘koko’ are
served hot, eko and ‘omadidi’ are served cold. Generally, paps may be taken
alone or with sugar or with bean cakes i.e. ‘akara’ or ‘moin moin’ (made from
Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., Palpilionaceae) or with vegetable stew
(e.g. Amaranthus cruentus L.,
Amaranthaceae) or with ground nut cake, ‘kulikuli’ (made from Arachis hypogaea L., Palpilionaceae).
A bye product of pap called ‘eha’ or ‘eha-koko’ (this is burnt porridge at
the bottom of the pot) is eaten by man and livestock. ‘Tuwo’ ‘ Tuwo’ (Yoruba), ‘tuwo-masara’ (Hausa),
‘oka’ (Egun), ‘inioka’ (Ibo), ‘uka apaapa’ (Ibira) is a very important and
popular stable food among various ethnic groups in ‘Donkunnu’ ‘Donkunnu’
is an exotic food to ‘Maasa’ and ‘Wainna’
‘Maasa’ and ‘wainna’ are similar thick porridges. While
‘maasa’ is small in size, ‘wainna’ is big. ‘Maasa’ is eaten with sugar
sprinkled on it, ‘wainna’ is eaten with pumpkin soup (Cucurbita pepo L., C.
moschata [Duch.ex Lam.] Duch. ex Poir, Cucurbitaceae) or with vegetable
soups or with honey. Both are made with coarsely, wet-ground grains. Small
piles of this are put separately into a frying-pan containing hot groundnut
oil (or palm oil- Elaeis guineesis
Jacq., Arecaceae, as commonly used among Isha people) to ‘maasa’. ‘Wainna’ on
the other hand is prepared by putting some quantities of ground paste inside
saucer plates (made of clay soil). The saucer plates are lubricated with
groundnut oil initially to enhance easy removal of ‘wainna’ after heating or
cooking. ‘Wainna’ cakes can also be made with mixture of cassava flour (Manihot esculenta Crantz,
Euphorbiaceae) and millet flour (Lancaster et al., 1982; Etejere and Bhat,
1985). ‘Cous cous’ Grain testa is removed before the
grains are ground into powdery flour which can be preserved inside bag, and
stored in a dry place until time to use it. At intervals, a required quantity
can be measured out and mixed with ingredients like sliced tomato, pepper and
onion (Allium cepa, L. Alliaceae).
All these are cooked together. After sufficient cooking, the mixture (i.e.
‘cous cous’) is solidified and ready for eating. ‘Akple’ The Ibo mix cassava
flour with maize flour together with onion chips, chilies, and palm oil, and
moulded into small balls that are deep in red palm oil. The balls are called
‘akple’ (Etejere and Bhat, 1985). ‘Ukejuka’ This is cassava flour popular among the Ibira people.
It is a combination (‘ejuka’) and maize (‘apaapa’) flours. ‘Ukejuka’ is
prepared like ‘tuwo’ by pouring the flour inside boiling water and stirred
until it becomes semi-solid porridge. It is eaten with vegetable stew. ‘Gwate’ ‘Gwate’ is preparing like the ‘cous cous’. While the
‘cous cous’ is solid, ‘gwate’ is semi-solid porridge. Unlike the ‘cous cous’,
ingredients like pieces of soft-bones, meat, amaranth (Amaranthus spp. L., Amaranthaceae) or bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina Del., Asteraceae)
and ‘efirin’ (Ocimum spp. L.,
Lamiaceae) are mixed with the flour and cooked to make ‘gwate’. ‘Nakia’ Moistened flour is moulded into small round objects
which are fried with vegetable oil. ‘Nakia’ is eaten with honey or sugar. ‘Dambu alubosa’ Grains are ground into dry, coarse particles that
resemble ‘gari’ (a foodstuff prepare
made from cassava tuber. The particles are mixed with oil and vegetable leaves
e.g. Amaranthus spp.(like A. cruentus (L.) Sauer, Amaranthaceae)
and cooked. ‘Abari’ Fresh grains are washed with clean water to remove
dirties. Onion and pepper are added to the grains and ground together with
local grinding stone or with mortal and pestle or with grinding machine. Then
palm oil and salt are added to it to turn red and to taste respectively.
Desire quantities are measured out and put inside banana leaves or empty milk
tins, and cooked with heat of hot water inside a covered pot to become solid
porridge (‘abari’ ‘iroo’[Yoruba], ‘elili-oka’[Ibo], ‘ekefi’[Isha]. ‘Abari’
may be eaten alone or with paps-hot and cold. ‘Egbo’ Grains are cooked intensely until they become very soft
and burst open (i.e. ‘egbo’). It may be eaten in this form or with cooked
beans or cooked groundnut and/or coconut (Cocos
nucifera L., Arecaceae) and with little groundnut oil. ‘Egbo’ is called
‘isoka’ by the Isha people. The former is not as hard as the latter. ‘Donkwa’ This is a mixture of dried-ground groundnut and maize
with or without addition of ‘kakandoro’ to prevent dysentery. The mixture is
moulded into small ball shapes (i.e. ‘donkwa’ or ‘dodonkwa’). It is known by
the Isha as ‘emumu’. The difference is that sugar and at time small pepper is
added to the mixture of groundnut and maize flour to make ‘emumu’. Popcorn Locally, there are two types of popcorn- hard and soft.
The former is simply called ‘guguru’ while the latter is ‘guguru alakuko’ by
the Yorubas. Popcorn is made by putting maize grains inside a saucer-shaped
earthen pot containing sand, and heated with firewood. The heat generated by
the hot sand roasted and changed the colour of the whitish grains to brownish
(i.e. ‘guguru’). Further heating bursted the grains to reflect the internal
whitish parts, this called ‘guguru-alakuko’. The name is synonymous with the
cock’s comb (the cock is called ‘akuko’ by the Yorubas). Sometimes, honey or
sugar may be added to ‘guguru’ to become ‘guguru-oloyin’ (honey or any sweet
object is called ‘oyin’ by the Yorubas). Popcorns may be eaten alone or with
roasted groundnut. ‘Ajepasi’ Maize grains are ground with water to moistened paste
which is moulded into rippons, and fried with groundnut oil. Fried ribbons
are maize cakes (i.e. ‘ajepasi’). ‘Aadun’ Grains are roasted and then ground into powdery
particles. This is mixed with palm oil which make it to be solidified, or to
clump together. ‘Kokoro’ ‘Kokoro’ is also produced in a similar way like ‘aadun’
by roasting, kneading, spicing and frying. This method is described by
Adegoke and Adebayo (1994). ‘Elekute’ Dried grains are
roasted with hot-charcoal and ground into fine particles. Small amount of
granulated sugar is added to it to become ‘elekute’. Cooked or boiled maize Whole freshly harvested maize fruit is cooked or boiled
until the seeds are soft and eaten on the cob. Roasted maize Whole freshly harvested maize fruit is roasted with
hot-charcoal over a wire-gauze until the seeds become brown. It is eaten in
this form on the cob. MEDICINAL USES A crop which is highly edible and
nutritious as maize, also has some medicinal uses among the local people. It
is used to cure many diseases, which it had over the years proved to be very
effective. These include: 1. Water filtered through charcoal obtained from maize stalk can be used
as a treatment to cure gonorrhea (AbdulRahaman, 1997). 2. An infusion obtained from stigma of maize inflorescence can be used
for treatment of diseases of the urinary tract or passage (AbdulRahaman, 1997). 3. Water (i.e. ‘omi-eko’ or ‘omikan’ or ‘omidun’) obtained during the
preparation of pap is used to soak bark or root of some plants (e.g. ‘dokita
igbo’). This is used to treat fever and malaria. Water obtained from the
cold-pap is more effective than that from the hot-pap. 4. Cold-pap or ‘eko-tutu’ is used more often in traditional medicines. It
is mixed with some preparations (usually granulated, black particles) to cure
some spiritual problems. It may be prescribed to provide protection against
enemies, bad occurrences or to foster posterities. 5. Holes are created or made in some maize grains to make rosary. This is
put on the hand (wrist) of a child to prevent him or her from becoming slim. 6. Whole dried maize fruit and dried yam with some charms are planted or
buried together. This preparation is done to unite or bind couple together
with effect that either of them cannot remarry to another person. It means
that they will remain husband and wife forever. CONCLUSION Maize is a plant which grown on a
wide variety of soil ranging from fairly coarse sand to the Heaviest of clay
(Kochhar, 1986), and thus it is found in all parts of Meanwhile, the findings
contained in this paper are believed
to be an eye-opener to those traditional preparation methods and uses of
maize that are restricted to some localities which are not known to other
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Vitamin composition of maize grown in
Source: Oyenuga (1988) |