I grew up enjoying a comforting dish called Corn Chaff. This creamy, flavourful combination of corn and beans is one of my favourite ways to eat maize. Known in Cameroon as Corn Chaff or Corn and Beans Porridge, it’s a satisfying, hearty meal. In neighboring Nigeria a similar dish is called Adalu.
The basic seasonings are simple: oil (traditionally palm oil), salt and bouillon seasoning (maggi or similar). From there you can build flavour with onions, garlic, ginger, green herbs such as celery and parsley, and optional ingredients like tomatoes or ground crayfish. For extra richness, smoked fish or meat are excellent additions. In Cameroon a nutty local spice sometimes called contri onions can also be used to deepen the flavour.
My preferred version uses garlic, ginger, onions and fresh herbs, and I often leave out tomatoes. When I do use vegetable oil instead of palm oil, I might add tomatoes to lend color. Both approaches yield delicious results.
Traditionally, corn chaff is made from either fresh corn cut from the cob or from dried, cracked corn. If you start with whole dried corn you can soften it with a traditional alkaline soak using kanwa (lime stone), then boil, cool, rub the kernels to peel, and rinse away the loosened skins before finishing the boil. Once the corn is tender, add pre-soaked raw beans and continue cooking until both are soft. This process yields tender, easy-to-chew corn in the final dish.
- Boil whole dried corn with a pinch of kanwa until the skin softens.
- Allow to cool or rinse with cold water, then rub the kernels to remove skins.
- Pour in water so the skins float, remove them with a colander, then return corn to the pot and finish boiling until tender.
- Add pre-soaked beans and continue cooking until both corn and beans are fully soft. Season and simmer briefly before serving.
For this recipe I used frozen sweet corn, which works wonderfully and saves time. Canned corn is also a convenient option. Any type of beans will work: black beans, red kidney beans, small red beans, etc. I used black beans because they were available and add a lovely texture and flavour.
Corn Chaff Recipe
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Ingredients
2 cups dried beans
2 cups dried corn (or 4 cups cooked/preserved sweet corn)
1 medium onion
4 stems of green herbs: parsley and celery (about 2 of each)
1 stem green onion or leek
5 cloves garlic
1/2 inch fresh ginger
1 cup palm oil (or vegetable oil to taste)
3 seasoning cubes (maggi, knorr) or 2 tsp bouillon powder
1/2 cup ground crayfish (optional)
1 habanero pepper (adjust to taste)
Directions
1. If using dried corn, boil it until tender. If you’re using frozen or canned corn, prepare the beans first and boil them until very soft. Beans should be fully cooked before combining with the corn.
2. Drain and rinse canned or frozen corn and set aside.
3. Combine the cooked beans and corn in a pot with about 1 cup of water and place over medium heat. Adjust liquid as needed to reach a porridge-like consistency.
4. Prepare the aromatics: chop or blend onion, garlic, ginger and the green herbs into a coarse paste, then add them to the pot.
5. Stir in salt, seasoning cubes or powder, the palm oil and optional ground crayfish. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Allow the mixture to simmer gently for about 20 minutes so the flavours meld and the porridge thickens. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. When it reaches your desired texture, remove from heat.
Serve hot as a filling main dish. Corn chaff is delicious on its own or alongside fried plantain, boiled yams, or a simple green salad. Enjoy this comforting, flavourful dish — I hope it becomes a favourite in your kitchen too.