Hey guys! I am done saying long time no see, so let’s pretend that I have not been gone that long and just catch up. First, let me tell you about this bomb fonio grits and shrimp recipe (alternatively called acha pottage), which is a delicious and savory fonio and shrimp dish! If you like shrimp and grits, feel free to dump that, since this recipe will be your new thing! Not only does this African dish pack a seafood flavor punch, it also is more nutritious. I have sung the merits of acha also known as fonio in a previous recipe that you should check out, but to summarize, when compared to corn grits, fonio has more fiber, more protein and a lower glycemic index. Also lets not forget how awesome it tastes!
I used fresh shrimp in this acha pottage recipe, and while it will work with frozen shrimp, there is a certain flavor particular to the fresh variety that you do not want to miss at all. Find your way to a seafood counter and pick up some fresh shrimp, it will elevate this fonio grits and shrimp dish to another level.
Fonio grits and shrimp is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and if you want to be fancy, press some fresh orange juice on the side and serve this dish as brunch; it is sure to impress.
To tell you what I have been up to, I am going to use the analogy of a germinating seed. Like a seed, I am being planted in the good soil that my farmer prepared for me. I am currently sitting in the dark soil, alone, looking like nothing is going on from the surface, but in due season, I will germinate, and the world will start to see my shoots, branches, and eventually my fruit. Right now is a delicate stage for me, so my farmer is making sure that I am well watered. I am shedding my hard outer layer, and starting to develop sustainable roots.
Sorry if that analogy seems kinda convoluted, but that is kinda how my life has been these past couple of weeks. As some of you may know, I am a Christian, so I consider myself to be in the hands of the best farmer (we Christians love our farm metaphors!), so I believe I will be perfectly fine in the end.
Alright, enough cheese! On to the recipe!
Fonio Grits and Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups of Fonio (rinsed)
- 220 g Fresh Shrimp (de-veined)
- 80 g Smoked dried fish (cleaned and de-boned)
- 30 g Smoked dried shrimp (cleaned)
- 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter or Coconut oil
- 1 Red onion (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons of Shrimp bouillon
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes or Chili pepper
- Salt to taste
How to Prepare the Acha Pottage
- In a pot, saute the chopped red onions in 3 tbsp of butter or coconut oil on medium heat until it is translucent.
- Add in the smoked dried shrimp, the smoked dried fish, and the red pepper flakes. Continue to season for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the rinsed Fonio, 1½ tsp shrimp bouillon and 4 cups of water. Mix the Fonio and the water, and taste the water for seasoning. Add salt to your taste at this point. Cover the pot and on low heat, allow the Fonio to cook covered for 30 minutes or until the Fonio grains are tender. You may add more water if necessary.
- To cook the shrimp that go on top of the Fonio, season the fresh shrimp with ½ tsp of shrimp bouillon, and ½ tsp salt. Allow it to marinate for about 5 minutes.
- In a pan, heat up 3 tbsp of butter or coconut oil and cook the seasoned shrimp on medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. Save the coconut oil or butter that is left in the pan after cooking the shrimp to drizzle on top of the Fonio.
- Serve the Fonio grits warm once it is soft, and top with the cooked fresh shrimp
- Pack on the shrimp sauce! Fonio is a sauce guzzler due to its high fiber so don’t feel shy!
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Fonio Grits and Shrimp: Savory Acha Pottage
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Fonio (rinsed)
- 220 g Fresh Shrimp (deveined)
- 80 g Smoked dried fish (cleaned and de-boned)
- 30 g Smoked dried shrimp (cleaned)
- 6 tbsp Unsalted butter or Coconut oil
- 1 Red onion (chopped)
- 2 tsp Shrimp bouillon
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes or Chili pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a pot, saute the chopped red onions in 3 tbsp of butter or coconut oil on medium heat until it is translucent.
- Add in the smoked dried shrimp, the smoked dried fish, and the red pepper flakes. Continue to season for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the rinsed Fonio, 1½ tsp shrimp bouillon and 4 cups of water. Mix the Fonio and the water, and taste the water for seasoning. Add salt to your taste at this point. Cover the pot and on low heat, allow the Fonio to cook covered for 30 minutes or until the Fonio grains are tender. You may add more water if necessary.
- To cook the shrimp that go on top of the Fonio, season the fresh shrimp with ½ tsp of shrimp bouillon, and ½ tsp salt. Allow it to marinate for about 5 minutes.
- In a pan, heat up 3 tbsp of butter or coconut oil and cook the seasoned shrimp on medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. Save the coconut oil or butter that is left in the pan after cooking the shrimp to drizzle on top of the Fonio.
- Serve the Fonio warm once it is soft, and top with the cooked fresh shrimp.
2 Comments
AnneMarie
April 27, 2019 at 10:58 pmYou are a fantastic cook. What African restaurants do u recommend in Md? I live in PG County. I went to a African restaurant in Laurel except for the Meat Pie which was very good, the jollof rice was overseasoned as was the green vegetables with corn meal overly hot also. I wish I could master certain Nigerian West African dishes .
Lois
May 28, 2019 at 12:35 pmHey Anne Marie! Thanks for your kind complements. My favorite restaurant in MD is called Nailah’s Kitchen. It is a Senegalese restaurant in Baltimore and it is not just good food, but also very beautiful.