Abala (What's Cooking)

How to make Abala?

1. Put rice flour into a bowl and add some hot water, stirring all the time.
2. Add seasonings, palm oil, dried fish, diced jakato.
3. Mix well together, and add a little more hot water to give a soft consistency.
4. Using palm oil grease an enamel bowl (1pt size) and put in the mixture. Cover well with grease-proof paper and lid to prevent water sipping through. Steam for about 2 1/2 hours.
5. Push a skewer through the centre of enamel bowl to check when abala is ready. If skewer comes out clean abala is ready, if soft-mixture sticks to skewer, cook for another 15 minutes, till skewer comes out clean.
6. If no steamer is used and colander is substituted on top of saucepan with boiling water, then after mixing, use cut banana leaves.
7. Remove midribs, and heat banana leaf pieces over a smokeless fire to make them soft and pliable.
8. Wrap spoonful of the mixture in a banana and put in colander over boiling water in a saucepan. Steam for about 1 1/2 hours.
9. Serve hot or cold for lunch.