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akasan (Haitian cornmeal drink)
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akasan (Haitian cornmeal drink)
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Haitian Akasan (Cornmeal Drink)(Vegan)

June 6, 2023 by Charla 26 Comments

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akasan (Haitian cornmeal drink)

Bring a taste of Haiti to your home by learning how to make this vegan rendition of Akasan. A popular porridge like drink made from yellow corn flour, star anise, cinnamon and plant based milk.

porridge like drink in a cup

They say that the most important meal of the day is breakfast and I truly believe it is. That's why I'm showcasing this popular breakfast recipe courtesy of the Haitian people called Akasan.

This drink is incredibly tasty, filling and oh so flavoursome. I also took the liberty of making it dairy free for people are vegan or lactose intolerant.

What is akasan?

Akasan aka ak100 drink originates from the island of Haiti. This porridge like beverage is typically served hot or cold for breakfast and great for people who are on the go.

The ingredients consists of yellow corn flour, star anise, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and evaporated milk.

When I first came across this recipe I was immediately intrigued. Each Caribbean island, be it French, Spanish or Dutch colony, all share some similarities.

Breakfast is very important to Caribbean people with porridge being a popular choice and I'm not referring to plain ole oatmeal.

What instantly draw my attention to this recipe was the similarities to Jamaican cornmeal porridge.

Akasan certainly looks like the porridge I grew to love. The key difference is the use of star anise, the lack of condensed milk to sweeten to taste and the texture is thinner.

I suppose in a sense you could summarise ak100 as a Haitian corn flour porridge or shake. Regardless I really enjoyed my Haitian akasan experience.

The flavour from the star anise really comes through and compliments the cinnamon so well.

I will definitely be having this on a weekly basis and hopefully you will do too.

My rendition of akasan

My rendition of akasan is vegan friendly, corn is naturally gluten free so thankfully you don't need to substitute the corn aspect of the recipe.

The only huge difference is replacing evaporated milk with almond milk. I personally think almond milk is the perfect replica because it is quite thin in texture, not very creamy nor is it overpowering.

You can of course use another type of plant based milk i.e coconut milk but you will find coconut milk abit more creamy in texure (not really a dealbreaker, just saying).

close up of the cornflour drink

Cornflour vs cornmeal vs cornstarch

There appears to be some MAJOR confusion when it comes to these three things. It all comes down to what part of the world you are in because these terms can be interchangeable.

For arguments sake I am going to give a quick definition of each so we are all on the same page

Cornflour -  This is the result of the cornkernels being milled. In other words, it's a finest version of cornmeal that you can get hold of. It is so fine that it can be used as flour in some recipes that would normally call for wheat flour.

Cornmeal - It's a coarser version of cornflour which derives from dried corn. This is what is used for make polenta, cornbread by Americans or cornmeal porridge in various parts of the Caribbean.

Cornstarch -  is a fine white powder that derives from the starchy part of the corn kernels. It has a much higher starch content then cornmeal and cornflour so it can be dissolved in water and used as a thickening agent. In the UK cornflour and cornstarch are often interchangeable which is an example of why there's so much confusion when it is called for in a recipe!

Ingredients you will need

ingredients for akasan
  • Yellow cornflour: You want cornflour where is referred to as "cornmeal" in the UK. You will need the finest cornmeal that is available to buy.
  • Water: You will need some water to mix the cornflour with.
  • Almond milk :I used almond milk but there's no reason why coconut, cashew or hazelnut milk won't work too.
  • Star anise: A very important ingredient for this specific porridge!!
  • Cinnamon sticks/Nutmeg: Both spices are used to serve as flavour enhancers.
  • Coconut Sugar (low GI): You can use another slow releasing sweetener if you wish.
  • Himalayan pink salt: For taste!!

The steps

boiling the cinnamon and star anise
  • Bring the 4 cups of water to the boil in a medium sized, non stick saucepan along with the star anise and cinnamon sticks for 10 minutes until the water is slightly red-brown colour.
Mixing the cornflour in water
  • Mix the one cup of cornflour together with the 1¼ cup of water in a small bowl/jug.
Pouring the cornflour into the saucepan
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the cornflour paste to the saucepan while whisking to avoid any lumps.
  • Continue to simmer for several minutes, while constantly stirring until the akasan starts to thicken up.
Adding almond milk and coconut sugar
  • Stir in the almond milk (add the full ¾ cup or more for a thinner consistency).
  • Add the vanilla extract, nutmeg and pink salt.
  • Add the coconut sugar or another sweetener and sweeten to taste.
  • Serve hot or cold.

What do you do with any leftovers?

Feel free to refrigerate any leftovers and consume what is left within 2 days.

Where can you purchase yellow corn flour?

Any ethnic grocery store - think African, Latino, Caribbean should stock it or try online (such as Amazon) and try to source organic or gmo, if possible.

Do you have to use whole spices?

Honestly, I would highly recommend using WHOLE spices over the ground ones. The taste is superior to the ground form but you can use ground, if that's all you can get hold off.

Notes and tips

  • When adding the cinnamon sticks and star anise make sure the water is boiling before moving onto the next step. You should be able to smell the spices!
  • Keep in mind, depending on what part of the world you are from yellow cornflour might be known as maize flour or cornmeal, you want the one that is YELLOW and ground/very fine in texture.
  • If you are using ground cinnamon and star anise, use 1 teaspoon of star anise and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
  • I recommend using a whisk when stirring to avoid any lumps.
  • Keep the heat medium-low, while you simmer and stir, don't be tempted to increase the heat too high or it may start to sputter which can burn the skin.
  • Be sure to use a non stick, sturdy saucepan.
  • Keep stirring the saucepan until the content starts to thicken up.
  • Mix the cornflour with part water. You want to make a paste first before adding any cornflour. This is done to avoid your Akasan from becoming lumpy. Remember to stir continuously as you add the paste to the saucepan.
  • Once you have made your akasan, feel free to add more vegan milk or water, if you want a thinner consistency.
  • Plant based milk. The original recipe calls for animal milk (evaporated milk) so feel free to use almond milk instead
  • Sweeten to taste. I only used about ¼ or ⅓ of a cup of coconut sugar. Sweetness is really down to the preference of the individual, so you decide!
  • You can use raw cane sugar, stevia or even agave nectar !!

porridge drink with spoon on top of the cup

More porridge recipes you may like

  • Jamaican Peanut Porridge
  • Jamaican Oats Porridge
  • Sago Porridge
  • Roasted Almond Porridge
  • Yellow Plantain Porridge
  • Millet Porridge

Other recipes with cornmeal

  • Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge
  • Cornmeal Porridge with Hominy Corn
  • Cornmeal Cou Cou
  • Conkies
  • Funchi Fries
  • Asham
  • Cornmeal Pudding
  • Jamaican Festival 
  • Cornmeal Dumpling

**Please comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Support my website by leaving a donation through Buying Me a Coffee. A site to show your appreciation of my hardwork over the years.  Let's be friends and engage on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

two cups of porridge on a tray

Haitian Akasan (Cornmeal Drink)(Vegan)

Bring a taste of Haiti to your home by learning how to make this vegan rendition of Akasan. A popular porridge like drink made from yellow corn flour, star anise, cinnamon and plant based milk.
5 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Caribbean dishes
Cuisine: Haitian
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 121kcal
Author: Charla

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water (946ml)
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 cup yellow corn flour + 1¼ cup of water (to make the paste)
  • ½-¾ cup almond milk or you can use another plant based milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (0.5g)grated
  • ¼ teaspoon pink salt (1.5g)
  • sweeten with coconut sugar, to taste or use another alternative sweetener, see notes

Instructions

  • Bring the 4 cups of water to the boil in a medium sized, non stick saucepan along with the star anise and cinnamon sticks for 10 minutes until the water is slightly red-brown colour.
  • Mix the one cup of cornflour together with the 1¼ cup of water in a small bowl/jug.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the cornflour paste to the saucepan while whisking to avoid any lumps.
  • Continue to simmer for several minutes, while constantly stirring until the akasan starts to thicken up.
  • Stir in the almond milk (add the full ¾ cup or more for a thinner consistency).
  • Add the vanilla extract, nutmeg and pink salt
  • Add the coconut sugar or another sweetener and sweeten to taste.
  • Serve hot or cold.

Video

Notes

    • When adding the cinnamon sticks and star anise make sure the water is boiling before moving onto the next step. You should be able to smell the spices!
    • Keep in mind, depending on what part of the world you are from yellow cornflour might be known as maize flour or cornmeal, you want the one that is YELLOW and ground/very fine in texture.
    • If you are using ground cinnamon and star anise, use 1 teaspoon of star anise and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
    • I recommend using a whisk when stirring to avoid any lumps.
    • Keep the heat medium-low, while you simmer and stir, don't be tempted to increase the heat too high or it may start to sputter which can burn the skin.
    • Be sure to use a non stick, sturdy saucepan.
    • Keep stirring the saucepan until the content starts to thicken up.
    • Mix the cornflour with part water. You want to make a paste first before adding any cornflour. This is done to avoid your Akasan from becoming lumpy. Remember to stir continuously as you add the paste to the saucepan.
    • Once you have made your akasan, feel free to add more vegan milk or water, if you want a thinner consistency.
    • Plant based milk. The original recipe calls for animal milk (evaporated milk) so feel free to use almond milk instead
    • Sweeten to taste. I only used about ¼ or ⅓ of a cup of coconut sugar. Sweetness is really down to the preference of the individual, so you decide!
    • You can use raw cane sugar, stevia or even agave nectar !!

Nutrition

Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!

More Caribbean Dishes

  • 2 glasses of mauby with ice
    Homemade Mauby Drink (Caribbean Bark Beverage)
  • 2 snapper with yuca and oranges garnished
    Baked Snapper (Mojo Style)
  • 2 sea bream on a platter
    Sea Bream Recipe (Air Fried)
  • 2 cups and a bowl of souse
    Chicken Foot Souse

About Charla

I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

Comments

  1. imsen says

    June 07, 2023 at 7:34 pm

    5 stars
    This HAITIAN AKASAN drink looks so cozy and comforting! This is simple and easy to make! Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 08, 2023 at 4:22 am

      You are welcome!

      Reply
  2. Andrea says

    June 07, 2023 at 4:43 pm

    5 stars
    This drink sounds so comforting and cozy with the cinnamon and star anise. Looking forward to drinking a cup by a fire.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 07, 2023 at 7:00 pm

      Enjoy Andrea

      Reply
  3. Elizabeth says

    June 07, 2023 at 4:20 pm

    5 stars
    What a unique breakfast drink! I like how it is a breakfast that can be consumed on the go during a busy morning. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 07, 2023 at 7:09 pm

      Thanks Elizabeth

      Reply
  4. Savita says

    June 07, 2023 at 3:40 pm

    5 stars
    Finally found a recipe, which is vegan for this drink, really looking forward to trying my hands on it and giving you feedback. Will update once I try it out.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 07, 2023 at 7:10 pm

      Thank you. I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  5. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

    June 07, 2023 at 2:16 pm

    5 stars
    This is such an easy and delicious recipe for this drink, I cannot wait to make it again!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 07, 2023 at 7:10 pm

      Yay! So glad that you enjoyed it Shadi.

      Reply
  6. Pascale A says

    June 06, 2020 at 2:54 pm

    5 stars
    As a Haitian I’m so happy to finally find a tried and true vegan recipe for akasan (AK-100). My daughter and I truly appreciate this as we prefer not to consume animal milk. And of course homemade is always better than the can stuff that we have purchased. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      June 06, 2020 at 6:51 pm

      Hey Pascale. I'm so glad I'm able to cater to your needs. I'm trying to cover as many islands as I can with wheat/dairy free options as there doesn't seem to be much out there.

      Reply
  7. Veena Azmanov says

    April 16, 2020 at 2:54 pm

    5 stars
    Something unique to really look forward to making. Your recipe looks flavorful.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      April 16, 2020 at 8:51 pm

      Thanks Veena

      Reply
  8. Jen says

    April 16, 2020 at 1:47 pm

    5 stars
    A new addition to the breakfast recipe box! I love star anise flavor and need more recipes like this.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      April 16, 2020 at 8:52 pm

      I'm so glad that this recipe meets your approval

      Reply
  9. Julia says

    April 16, 2020 at 1:39 pm

    5 stars
    This is a deliciousness in a mug! Love this recipe!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      April 16, 2020 at 8:53 pm

      Thanks Julia

      Reply
  10. Romina says

    April 16, 2020 at 10:48 am

    5 stars
    This is such an easy to follow recipe. I have never seen yellow cornflour in the UK, but will keep an eye out for it.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      April 16, 2020 at 8:53 pm

      Thanks Romina

      Reply
  11. Nart | Cooking with Nart says

    April 16, 2020 at 9:43 am

    5 stars
    Just tried this recipe and it was so good - highly recommended!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      April 16, 2020 at 8:55 pm

      I'm so glad that you liked it

      Reply
  12. Mrs A Cust says

    October 09, 2019 at 12:10 am

    Cornflour is not cornmeal. Cornmeal is maizemeal. Cornflour is a start also called cornstarch.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      October 09, 2019 at 7:52 pm

      I don't recall stating that cornflour is cornmeal. Actually, cornflour is not the same as cornstarch. Cornflour is a yellow powder made from finely milled corn while cornstarch is fine white powder that derives from the starchy part of the corn kernels which is used as a thickener. Thanks for commenting!

      Reply
  13. Karina says

    January 26, 2019 at 11:50 pm

    Hi Charla,

    This looks great! I'd guess it's a cousin of atole of the US Southwest, Mexico, and Central America. Do you know the origin of the name? Agua sana would be "healthy water" in Spanish, but it might be a stretch that the name came from that.

    Regards,
    Karina

    Reply
    • Charla says

      January 27, 2019 at 12:07 pm

      I'm not privy to the origins of the name but it's definitely akin to atole. Thanks for stopping by Karina.

      Reply
5 from 11 votes

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akasan (Haitian cornmeal drink)
a picture of Charla

Hey, I'm Charla!

I'm an avid Caribbean foodie. Welcome to the haven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

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