Description
African Mortar & Pestle (Apotoyewaa or Asanka)
Also known as ‘Kaaa’ by the Ga people and
‘Apotoyewaa’ or ‘Asanka’ by Akans from the Ashanti region
(southern and central Ghana)
African Mortar Care Instructions
Be sure to wash well with antibacterial soap after use. The African Mortar (otherwise know as the Asanka bowl) is made of clay and thus may absorb water from time to time. To prevent molding, place a clean Asanka bowl periodically in the oven for 15 minutes after you have used your oven and it is cooling down. You can also set your oven to the “warm” setting and leave the Asanka bowl in there as well, this achieves the same effect of drying out any remaining water from the bowl–preventing molding and strengthening the clay.
Composition of Asanka
Asanka is made of dug clay and normally low fired, from which it also gains its famous black characteristics. It is also relatively heavy in nature makes it last longer as it takes longer to wear out if carefully handled.
Uses of Asanka
In Ghana, asanka is mainly used for the preparation of meko; (spicy Ghanaian pepper sauce made of fresh tomatoes, chilies and onions), abomu; (traditional stew of steamed or boiled vegetables, ground together and finished off by placing the asanka on a stove or coal-pot to heat up), for blending vegetables for stew/soups and most importantly, used as an eating utensil.
credit – the ghana food network
