Gnamakoudji (Ginger Juice) is a traditional Ivorian (from Côte d'Ivoire) recipe for a classic drink of sweetened ginger juice flavoured with lemons. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Côte d'Ivoire version of: Ginger Juice (Gnamakoudji).
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This is a classic Ivorian recipe for the ginger drink that's known as 'ginger beer' or 'ginger ale' elsewhere in West Africa. West African ginger is small and red-skinned and has a much hotter taste than the Caribbean white ginger we are used to in the West.
Ingredients:
300g ginger, well scrubbed
1kg sugar
3 lemons, sliced into thin rings
leaves from 1 bunch of mint
2 tsp vanilla sugar
Method:
Pound the ginger in a mortar with a little water until you have a paste. Add 100ml water and pound again. Turn the mixture into a cloth and squeeze out as much of the juice as you can. Turn the solids back into a mortar, add 200ml more water and pound once more.
Turn back into a cloth and wring out the juice again. Mix the ginger juice with 4l water then stir in the sugar until dissolved and add the lemon slices. Cover and set aside to infuse for 30 minutes before adding the mint leaves (crush these in a mortar first) and the vanilla sugar.
Chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator and serve. You should stir or shake well before serving as the ginger juice will tend to settle to the bottom.
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