Recipe
🥤 DRINK
Asaana
A caramel-hued Ghanaian drink of fermented corn sweetened with burnt sugar, malty, tangy, and served cold over ice.
Ghanaian · medium · serves 6
prep 15 min · cook 30 min
~183 cal · 2g protein · 45g carbs · 1g fat · 1g fiber · 36g sugars · 0g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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AI-generated illustration
Asaana is a traditional Ghanaian drink made from , caramelized corn: the corn is , then its sugars are caramelized to give a deep, malty, slightly smoky flavor. It is then sweetened and served chilled. It is a naturally-brewed refreshment of the Akan heartland.
Also called 'liha,' asaana turns a staple grain into a dark, sweet drink. The caramelization gives it a color and depth unlike any other corn beverage.
Sold by vendors and made at home in the Ashanti region and beyond, asaana is a cheap, refreshing taste of Ghanaian tradition. Served over ice, it is a nostalgic favorite that many Ghanaians associate with childhood and home.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally vegetarian, vegan and gluten-, dairy-, nut-, egg- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 6
1.5 cups corn dough (or cornmeal)
8 cups water
1 cup sugar (for caramel)
Instructions
1
Whisk the corn dough into 6 cups of the water and simmer, stirring, for 15 minutes.
2
In a dry pan, melt the sugar over medium heat until it caramelizes to a deep amber (watch it closely).
3
Carefully stir the hot caramel and remaining water into the corn liquid; it will hiss and darken.
4
Simmer 5 more minutes, strain, cool, and serve cold over ice.
Southern Ghanaian street tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Ashanti. Fufu is made rather than cooked. Boiled cassava and plantain go into a wooden mortar and are pounded in a two-person rhythm, one striking and one turning the mass between blows, until it is smooth and elastic enough to swallow in pieces. The soup is what carries the flavour; the fufu is the vehicle, and it is not chewed.
🗺️
Ghana. Ghanaian cooking is built on starchy staples, fufu, banku, kenkey, paired with richly flavored soups and stews thickened with groundnut or palm nut. Jollof rice, red-red bean stew, and grilled tilapia with shito pepper sauce define its bold, warming plates.
🌍
Africa. Much of what reads as timeless African cooking is younger than the Atlantic crossings. Maize, cassava, groundnut, chilli and tomato all arrived from the Americas after 1500 and pushed older crops aside; millet, sorghum, teff, yam and fonio are the ones that were already here, and the map still shows the join.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Ghana
Nkatenkwan (Groundnut Soup)A silky, gingery peanut soup simmered with chicken and chilies, eaten with soft rice balls.
Red RedBlack-eyed peas stewed in red palm oil beside caramelized fried plantains, named twice for its two shades of red.
Hausa Koko and KooseA spiced fermented millet porridge with koose, crisp black-eyed pea fritters, Ghana's classic Ghanaian breakfast.
Browse all Ghana recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Whisk.
Storing it: Keep chilled and covered, and enjoy within 2 to 3 days.
Make it a Ghana meal
Nkatenkwan (Groundnut Soup)Dinner
Nkate CakeDessert
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Frequently asked questions
What is Asaana?
A caramel-hued Ghanaian drink of fermented corn sweetened with burnt sugar, malty, tangy, and served cold over ice.
Where does Asaana come from?
Asaana is a Ghanaian dish from Ashanti, Ghana.
Can Asaana be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Asaana recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Asaana safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Asaana take to make?
About 45 minutes total (15 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking), serving 6.
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