Salads are lots of fun and can be as varied as the day is long. For this mixed salad recipe, local cheese is known as wagashi, and shrimp are an additional source of protein. The cheese is lightly cooked in salted water with fresh rosemary and then crumbled over the salad. The shrimp are tossed in a butter, garlic, lemon, and parsley mixture. I have had lots of joy experimenting with wagashi and have fried, baked, steamed, and grilled it, all very successfully.
Local Cheese
Wagashi (not to be confused with the Japanese sweet) as it is known in Ghana, is local cheese made from cow's milk. It is typically and originally made by the nomadic Fulbe people (Fulani). It is quite common in West Africa (Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso, called Wara, Warankasi in Nigeria, Woagachi in Benin). In Benin, the cheese is sometimes a deep red colour, as it is dipped in a warm solution of water and sorghum leaves.
The curdling agent commonly used here is the leaf or stem of the plant Calotropis procera, also known as Apple of Sodom, Sodom Apple or Calotrope.
How to make Wagashi
The basic wagashi recipe consists of mixing the extract of the Apple of Sodom with fresh milk, then heating and stirring until the milk begins to curdle. The curds are then removed and shaped into form. If you have ever made Tofu yourself, then making this local cheese is a similar process. In the absence of the Apple of Sodom curdling agent, vinegar, lemon juice or even buttermilk can be used to curdle the fresh milk.
Wagashi cheese is a great substitute for fish, meat, or eggs. Just like paneer or halloumi, it is not a cheese that melts.
Ingredients
All the wagashi I have purchased so far has been from Tasty Alternatives who has also been kind enough to educate me on all wagashi-related questions and facts. This salad uses mixed lettuce, some cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds, and cucumbers.
A quick mix of yoghurt, oil, and chopped parsley make a perfect dressing for this salad. The wagashi however is the co-star of this salad - slightly salted with hints of rosemary and crumbled over the salad. Its addition is subtle but just enough to make a statement.
The shrimp have a buttery, garlicky, and herby mouthwatering flavour and the toasted sunflower seeds add a slight crunch as well as a nutty touch.
Substitutions
When it comes to salads generally, there is always room for additions or substitutions.
Instead of using a mixed salad, you can also just stick to one type of salad be it lettuce, arugula (rocket ) or even iceberg.
An alternative to crumbling the wagashi is to fry it and then add that to your salad. Fried wagashi is one of the most popular ways in which it is consumed here.
As Wagashi is quite specific to Ghana and West Africa, it may not be readily available in your area. Great substitutes, depending on where you may find yourself are paneer, tofu, or halloumi. Not all the mentioned cheeses lend themselves to steaming and crumbling but they can be pan-fried easily.
If you are allergic to seafood then you can opt-out of the shrimp and use either chicken strips like in this chopped salad or beef.
For vegans and vegetarians, you can switch the wagashi with some beautifully seasoned tofu and completely take out the shrimp.
Some other fantastic salads to try are this very visually appealing fonio salad, this couscous salad, or this pasta salad.
Mixed Leaf Salad with Wagashi Cheese
Ingredients
- 250 grams mixed lettuce blend
- 150 grams wagashi raw
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- 5 medium shrimp
- cherry tomatoes or regular tomatoes
- 1 cucumber cut into thick diagonal slices
- garlic chopped
- ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon parsley chopped
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 10 grams butter
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
Yoghurt Dressing Ingredients
- 125 grams yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fish sauce optional
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a pan, add sea salt to about 400 ml of water. Add rosemary and bring to a boil.
- Add the wagashi to the water and let simmer for 4 minutes and then leave to cool.
- Toast sunflower seeds for about 2 minutes and set aside.
- In a pan, melt the butter, add the garlic and cook for a minute.
- Salt the shrimp, add them to the pan, and stir for about 2 minutes
- Squeeze the juice of half of a lemon into the pan, stir for a further minute.
- Add parsley, stir, take the pan off the heat and leave the shrimp to cool.
- In a bowl, add mixed salad, cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Crumble wagashi over salad and then add shrimp.
- Sprinkle sunflower seeds over the salad.
- Serve with the yoghurt dressing or any other dressing of choice.
Yoghurt Dressing
- Mix yoghurt with oil, fish sauce, honey, parsley, and a pinch of salt.
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