classic Ghanaian recipes, others using readily available ingredients and adventures

classic Ghanaian recipes, others using readily available ingredients and adventures

Baked yam balls

These baked yam balls with sausages are very yummy with a crunchy corn flakes coating. Yes, it’s really baked and delicious!

Ghanaian party snacks: baked yam balls

My middle sister Nancy is an avid yam balls fan. Among all the foods in the world, it is yam balls she would fight for.
Nancy loves yam balls and obviously embraces the hot oil and all the mess associated with frying yam balls. She has done well and earned a masters in yam balls making. Now, she makes perfect yam balls.

Me on the other hand, it just doesn’t work for me. My yam balls are soggy from oil, break apart whiles in the hot oil, and the breadcrumbs; it just doesn’t work.
Making a baked version has been delusional but finally I have crossed it out of mine “to get RIGHT list”.

Taste: Great. Nancy approved of it, 100%. You wouldn’t miss the oil. In my opinion, it is better than fried and the corn flakes coating just makes it better.

Ghanaian party snacks: baked yam balls

Baked sausage yam balls
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Servings: 12 - 14 balls
Author: Juliet@biscuitsandladles
Ingredients
  • 1 kg yam
  • 4-5 chicken sausages
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 stalk of celery
  • 2 1/2 tablespoon margarine or butter
  • 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup corn flakes roughly crashed
  • Salt and Black pepper as required
  • Water for boiling yam
Instructions
  1. Boil yam with salt and water. Whiles yam is boiling, thinly chop sausages, onions, celery and garlic. Set aside.

  2. Heat margarine or butter in a pan. Saute onions, garlic and celery till soft. Do not caramelise or brown the onions. Stir in sausages and turn off fire. Check on yam to see if it softened or cooked through. Drain off water when done.

  3. Preheat an oven to 180℃/  350℉. Line a baking pan with baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix cornflakes and black pepper together. Beat one egg in a different bowl, set aside.

  4. Using a food processor, or fork or asanka with apotɔyowa mash cooked yam. Yam should be well mashed but resemble a course dough. Add in egg yolk, margarine or butter and stir together. Add in sauteed garlic, onions, celery and chopped sausages.

  5. Scoop about two tablespoons of the mixed yam dough together. Mold into a ball, dip into egg to coat, dip into corn flakes and black pepper mixture. Gently press to stick well and arrange on baking sheer. Repeat the process til all dough has been molded to balls. Gently brush balls with remaining egg.
  6. Bake balls in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes till the cornflakes is well stacked to the balls and looks cripsy. Serve as snack, as an accompaniment to a meal or with ketchup or shito.