Guide · Yado Market Blog
Ogi is a smooth, slightly sour porridge made from fermented corn. Nigerians call it ogi, pap or akamu, Ghanaians call it koko, and in Benin and Togo it's akamou. Here's what it is, how to make a lump-free bowl from ogi flour in about 5 minutes, and which bag to buy.
Quick answer: how to make pap from ogi flour
- Put 3 tablespoons of ogi flour in a bowl.
- Stir in about 1/4 cup of cold water until smooth, with no lumps.
- Pour in about 1 cup of boiling water while stirring fast. It thickens in seconds.
- Sweeten with sugar or honey, add milk, and serve warm.
At a glance
- Price$5.49 for 1 lb · $10.49 for 2 lb
- Also calledPap, akamu, koko, akamou
- TastesSmooth and slightly sour
- Per bowl3 tbsp flour, ready in about 5 min
- Get itChicago pickup, local delivery or shipping
5 min
From bag to bowl
3 tbsp
Flour per bowl
5 names
One food
$5.49
For a 1 lb bag
Shop ogi
Ogi Flour We Sell
All of these are dry, fermented corn flour: you just add water. Ship anywhere in the U.S., or pick it up at 1651 E 87th St, Chicago.
Our pick
Oloye Pap (Ogi / Akamu), 1 lb
Fine, white fermented corn flour. The classic Nigerian pap.
Shop · $5.49
1 lb or 2 lb
Oloye Ogi Pap Akamu
Same Oloye pap. Pick the 2 lb size if you make it every morning.
Shop · from $5.49
Koko & akamou
Fermented Corn Flour (Ogi)
A 1 lb bag for pap, koko or akamou, the way you grew up with it.
Shop · $5.99
Family pack
Oloye Pap, Pack of 5
Five 1 lb bags for big families who make pap every day.
Shop · $24.99Know your food
What Is Ogi?
Ogi is a West African porridge made from corn (maize), and sometimes from sorghum or millet. The grain is soaked in water for a few days so it ferments, then it's ground, sieved and left to settle into a smooth starch.[1] The fermentation is done by natural lactic acid bacteria, which is why ogi tastes gently sour, a bit like plain yogurt.[1] Cooked with hot water, it turns into a silky, custard-like pudding that people eat for breakfast or as a light meal.
Ogi, Pap, Akamu, Koko: Same Food, Different Names
Ogi
The Yoruba name, used across Nigeria.
Akamu
The Igbo name, from eastern Nigeria.
Pap
The everyday English name in Nigeria.
Koko
Ghana's fermented corn porridge, often spiced with ginger.
Akamou
The name in Benin and Togo.
When ogi is cooked thick and left to set, it becomes eko (Yoruba) or agidi, a firm pudding often wrapped in leaves and eaten with stew or moi moi.
Step by step
How to Make Pap (Ogi) From Flour
For 1 bowl: 3 tablespoons of ogi flour, about 1/4 cup cold water, about 1 cup boiling water, and sugar, honey or milk to taste.
1. Paste
Mix the flour with the cold water until it looks like smooth, thick cream. Break every lump now.
2. Boil
Bring the water to a real, rolling boil. Water that is only hot will leave the pap thin.
3. Pour
Pour the boiling water in slowly while you stir fast. The color changes and it thickens in seconds.
4. Serve
Add sugar or honey and a splash of evaporated milk. Eat it warm, with akara or moi moi.
No kettle? Make the paste in a pot, add the water, and cook on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring all the time. Microwave: make the paste in a large bowl, add hot water, and heat in 30-second bursts, stirring each time, until thick.
Troubleshooting
Tips for Smooth Pap
Lumpy?
The paste wasn't smooth. Whisk hard, or push it through a sieve.
Too thin?
The water wasn't boiling. Cook it on low heat for a minute, stirring.
Too thick?
Stir in a little hot water or warm milk.
Too sour?
Add more milk and a little sugar. The tang is normal: it comes from fermentation.
Ideas
Ways to Eat Ogi
Akara and pap
The classic Nigerian breakfast: warm pap with fried bean fritters (akara).
Pap and moi moi
A Sunday favorite. See our moi moi recipe.
Sweet bowl
Top with sliced banana, chopped groundnuts or shredded coconut.
Spiced, island style
Cook it with milk, a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon, and a drop of vanilla.
Eko (agidi)
Cook it very thick, pour into a bowl and let it set. Slice and serve with pepper stew.
For little ones
Many families give thin, lukewarm pap as an early food. Ask your pediatrician before giving a baby any new food.[10]
Shop the bowl
What to Buy With Your Ogi
For akara & moi moi
Peeled Black Eyed Peas, 2 lb
Already peeled, so akara and moi moi are quick.
Shop · $9.99
Ghana's spiced cousin
Homefresh Hausa Koko, 800 g
Millet porridge with ginger and spice. Great with koose.
Shop · $15.99
No cans needed
Peak Instant Milk Powder, 400 g
Stir a spoon into your pap for a creamy bowl.
Shop · $13.99Compare
Ogi vs Hausa Koko vs South African Pap
Ogi / akamu / pap
Fermented corn, sieved. Smooth, soft and a little sour. Eaten as a drinkable porridge.
Hausa koko
Ghanaian millet porridge, spiced with ginger, cloves and pepper. Spicier and darker.
South African pap
Plain maize meal (mielie meal), usually not fermented, cooked stiff like grits or polenta.
Like ogi, Ghana's kenkey is made from fermented corn dough. Read What Is Kenkey?, or see more breakfast dishes in Nigerian Food: 25 Dishes to Try.
Benefits
Benefits of Ogi (Fermented Corn Pap)
In Nigeria, ogi is a popular weaning, breakfast and convalescent food: families give it to babies, to elders, and to people getting back on their feet after an illness.[2] Here is what research says about why.
1. Gentle, easy to digest
Fermentation wakes up natural enzymes in the grain that start breaking down starch and the compounds that make grains harder to digest.[4] Sieving also removes most of the rough bran.[1] That is why ogi is the traditional soft food for little ones, elders and people recovering from illness.[2]
2. Better mineral absorption
Corn contains phytic acid, which holds on to iron, zinc and calcium so your body absorbs less of them. Soaking and fermenting lower phytic acid,[3][4] and making ogi reduced phytate in a Nigerian weaning-food study.[2]
3. Fermented by friendly bacteria
Ogi is fermented by lactic acid bacteria, mainly Lactobacillus and Pediococcus species.[5][6] Lab studies of bacteria taken from ogi found strains that survive stomach acid and bile and slow the growth of germs like E. coli and Salmonella: signs of probiotic potential.[6]
4. Gut health research
In a study in Tanzania, young children fed lactic-fermented cereal gruels had fewer bouts of diarrhoea than children fed unfermented gruels.[7] Reviews of fermented foods link them with a healthier gut microbiota, though human research is still growing.[8]
5. Quick, filling energy
Ogi is mostly starch, so a warm bowl gives easy carbohydrate energy for the morning.[1] Add milk, groundnuts, akara or moi moi for protein, since sieving removes much of the corn’s protein and fiber.[1]
6. A first food for babies
Thin, lukewarm pap is one of the most common first foods in West Africa.[5][9] U.S. advice is to start solid foods at about 6 months.[10] Ask your pediatrician before giving a baby any new food.
7. A safer grain
In one study, the steeping (souring) step that makes ogi lowered mycotoxin levels from the raw corn.[5]
Good to know: boiling water kills most live bacteria, so cooked pap isn’t a probiotic in the way live yogurt is. The fermentation still changes the grain itself: the sour taste, lower phytic acid and softer starch.[4][8] Ogi is a food, not a medicine: if you’re unwell, talk to your doctor.
Storage
How to Store Ogi Flour
- Keep the bag in a cool, dry cupboard, away from sunlight.
- After opening, move it into an airtight jar and keep water out: damp flour clumps and spoils.
- Use it by the date on the bag.
- Throw it out if it smells musty, changes color, or shows mold or insects. Cooked pap is best eaten fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ogi called in English?
Pap, or fermented corn porridge. In shops you'll also see it sold as "fermented corn flour" or "corn pap".
What is Nigerian pap made of?
Corn (maize) that is soaked, fermented, ground and sieved. Some homemade versions use sorghum (guinea corn) or millet instead.[1]
Are ogi, akamu, koko and pap the same thing?
Yes, mostly. Ogi (Yoruba), akamu (Igbo) and pap (English) are the same fermented corn porridge. Koko is Ghana's version and akamou is the name in Benin and Togo. Hausa koko is different: it's spiced millet.
What does pap taste like?
Mild and slightly sour, with a smooth, custard-like texture. Most people add sugar or honey and milk.
What are the benefits of drinking akamu?
Akamu is a soft, easy-to-digest source of energy, traditionally given to babies, elders and people recovering from illness.[2] Fermentation lowers phytic acid so minerals are easier to absorb,[3] and the lactic acid bacteria that ferment it are studied for gut health.[6][7] See Benefits of ogi.
Is Nigerian pap the same as South African pap?
No. Nigerian pap (ogi) is fermented and soft. South African pap is plain maize meal cooked stiff, closer to grits.
Is pap the same as fufu?
No. Pap is a soft porridge you drink or spoon. Fufu is a stiff dough you eat with soup. Eko (agidi), thick set ogi, is the closest thing to a "swallow".
Can babies eat pap?
Many West African families give thin pap as one of a baby's first foods. U.S. health advice is to start solid foods at about 6 months.[10] Ask your pediatrician before giving a baby any new food.
How much ogi flour do I use per bowl?
About 3 tablespoons for one bowl, with 1/4 cup cold water for the paste and about 1 cup of boiling water.
Where can I buy ogi in Chicago?
At Yado Market: pick it up at 1651 E 87th St, Chicago, get local delivery, or order online and we ship anywhere in the U.S. See the ogi flours.
Ready to Make Pap?
A warm bowl in 5 minutes. Add Peak milk and akara for the full breakfast.
Sources
- Haard NF, Odunfa SA, Lee CH, Quintero-Ramírez R, Lorence-Quiñones A, Wacher-Radarte C. Fermented Cereals: A Global Perspective. FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin No. 138. Rome: FAO; 1999.
- Adewusi SRA, Orisadare BO, Oke OL. Studies on weaning diets in Nigeria. I. Carbohydrate sources. Cereal Chemistry. 1991;68:165–169.
- Gupta RK, Gangoliya SS, Singh NK. Reduction of phytic acid and enhancement of bioavailable micronutrients in food grains. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2015;52(2):676–684.
- Nkhata SG, Ayua E, Kamau EH, Shingiro JB. Fermentation and germination improve nutritional value of cereals and legumes through activation of endogenous enzymes. Food Science & Nutrition. 2018;6(8):2446–2458. doi:10.1002/fsn3.846 (PubMed 30510746).
- Okeke CA, Ezekiel CN, Nwangburuka CC, Sulyok M, Ezeamagu CO, Adeleke RA, Dike SK, Krska R. Bacterial diversity and mycotoxin reduction during maize fermentation (steeping) for ogi production. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2015;6:1402. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2015.01402.
- Olatunde OO, Obadina AO, Omemu AM, et al. Screening and molecular identification of potential probiotic lactic acid bacteria in effluents generated during ogi production. Annals of Microbiology. 2018;68:433–443. doi:10.1007/s13213-018-1348-9.
- Lorri WSM, Svanberg U. Lower prevalence of diarrhoea in young children fed lactic acid-fermented cereal gruels. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 1993;15(1):57–63.
- Dimidi E, Cox SR, Rossi M, Whelan K. Fermented foods: definitions and characteristics, impact on the gut microbiota and effects on gastrointestinal health and disease. Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1806. doi:10.3390/nu11081806 (PubMed 31387262).
- Steinkraus KH, ed. Handbook of Indigenous Fermented Foods. 2nd ed. New York: Marcel Dekker; 1996.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods. cdc.gov (Infant and Toddler Nutrition).
This guide is general food information, not medical advice.