Asante traditional meals which are either missing among the current generation or with little significance, were showcased at the Queen Mothers’ Day and Food Fair at the Manhyia Palace on Monday.
The event organized as part of the various programmes to mark the 25th Enstoolment Anniversary of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, saw various sumptuous-looking and appetite-whetting indigenous delicacies revived in the current age.
Meals including fufu and abunuabunu soup, ogoo, ofam, mpotompoto and nuhu alien to the current generation were brought back. There were also traditional drinks like palm wine on display.
The meals were prepared by the various queen mothers in the Kingdom and mounted in stands accordingly.
Commending the brains behind the event, Abena Amponsah, a woman who joined the event, underscored the health benefits of the age-old meals.
“The food we eat today have no health benefits. In the olden days, the meals we prepared were full of nutrients. Today many people have stopped eating taro leaves. Many kids do not like its stew,” she told opemsuo.com.
A rep of Goasohemaa Nana Afia Serwaa, who added palm wine to their food suite told opemsuo.com there was the need to serve some traditional wine as the Chief Palmwine Tapper is from Goaso.
“We prepared ogoo. Mashed roasted plantain and dried tilapia. We also prepared plantain and taro leaves stew the traditional way. It has no spices. It has a natural flavour. We also prepared fufu and abunuabunu. It has some meat like snail,” she outlined.
She believes the event was important as the new generation would become familiar with them.
Meanwhile, the Asonafikese Baapanyin of New Adubiase, Nana Akua Dwira who introduced the world to the Asante version of a cake, gave opemsuo.com the recipe.
“Ofam is the Asante’s cake. It is lasting. It is made with ingredients like dried herring, ginger, maize, and ripped plantain. They are grinded together and baked.”
Speaking at the event before taking a tour to catch a glimpse of the various meals, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said the event reflects the rich tradition and culture Asanteman and Ghana at large possess.
“This event is to portray what Asanteman and Ghana have got.”
“This event has paved the way for the new generation to familiarise with the traditional meals which are no longer popular,” he said as he thanked Queen mothers for enthusiastically patronizing it.
The Chief of Staff of the President, Hon Akosua Fremah Osei Opare while speaking at the same event as the Guest of Honour called for a documentation of recipes of the meals to avoid extinction.
Present at the event held on April 22, 2024, were Asantehemaa Nana Konadu Yiadom III, Lady Julia Osei Tutu, wife of Asantehene, Paramount Chiefs and Queen mothers, Simon Osei Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, the Minister-Designate for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Deputy Minister Mark Okraku Mantey and others.
Source: Manhyia Palace
