
West Africa · Breakfast
Tom Brown (Toasted Multi-Grain Cereal Porridge with Milk)
A deeply roasted, nutty multi-grain porridge enriched with evaporated milk, toasted peanuts, and fragrant spices.
The story
Ubiquitous in southern urban Ghanaian homes, Tom Brown is the quintessential hot weekday morning breakfast for school children and workers alike. The cereal blend draws its name from the rich golden-brown color achieved by dry-roasting yellow maize, soybeans, groundnuts, and millet before milling. The roasting step historically dextrinizes the cereal starches, improving digestibility and creating an unmistakably nutty, malty aroma.
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