Sorrel (Zobo) Fortified Ogi

Ogi is a popular breakfast porridge made from either maize or millet. I do enjoy a bowl of ogi (also known as akamu, koko) every now and then so I tend to add to and serve it with different things just to make it a little more exciting and nutritious.

Ogi is made by soaking sun dried maize in water then milling into a fine paste. This paste is sieved and allowed to ferment for about 5 days. This process tend to deplete it of some of its vital nutrients and fibre (though some traces of vitamins are introduced during the fermentation period).


Ogi is pure, almost 100%, simple carbohydrate, so I quite understand why it is eaten for breakfast or served to someone re-recuperating from an illness. It is because it offers an instant supply of much needed energy to start the day or to get one's strength back.

No doubt, the processing results in the loss of nutrients so finding ways to fortify it is something I eagerly pursue.

Nutritional data for ogi (250ml cooked portion) 
Calories: 201.5 kcal
Carbohydrates: 47g
Fat: 0.1g
Protein: 3g
Vitamins: Choline
Minerals: traces of iron, magnesium, calcium, selenium

Ogi is traditionally served with moin-moin or akara. Milk and sugar are also added to sweeten its naturally sharp/tangy taste; (in fact, the sharper the taste the better for some people...)

I have taken things a little further. Just as western breakfast cereals are fortified with added vitamins/minerals or supplemented with other healthy food ingredients, I regularly add dried nuts/fruits to my ogi (see my previous post on Ogi here).

In the recipe I am sharing with you today, because of the benefits of Sorrel and as a way to enable me consume more of it, I added it to my ogi! The result is a really attractive looking dish with an intense red colour, as well as a healthier dish which promises to offer more minerals and vitamins and much desired antioxidants.....In addition the sorrel heightens the "tanginess" of the ogi which is just perfect for me. For sweetener, I added a variety of sweet dried fruits such as dates, currants and goji berries. You can try it with many other of your favourite nuts and/or fruits. Try it and see...

Sorrel fortified Ogi with chopped dried dates, goji berries & currants

What  you need

• A handful of dried sorrel(zobo) petals
• 200g of ogi paste
• 250ml of hot boiling water
• Dried fruits (such as goji berries, dates, raisins or any one you prefer)
• Some brown sugar to sweeten further if you wish

What to do

1. Add a handful of sorrel petals to hot boiling water and allow to steep for about 3 hours to make the sorrel/zobo juice. 
2. Strain off the petals using fine sieve and transfer into a small pot. Then dissolve the ogi paste completely in the sorrel juice (should be about 250ml). Stir well to ensure all lumps are eliminated. 
3. Then add hot boiling water directly from a kettle to the pot of dissolved ogi and stir which should begin to cook the ogi. 
4. Stir well and immediately place pot on the stove under medium heat. Continue cooking and stirring until the ogi thickens. 
5. Add some hot water to adjust the consistency as preferred. (The end result should look similar to cooked custard). 
6. Serve in a bowl and add some chopped dried fruits/nuts, with moin-moin or akara. 

Sorrel fortified Ogi