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Wojapi or Fruit Pudding
This is an adaptation of using dried fruit after contact with sugar and cornstarch. I usually make this without a recipe but am going to try to state it in measurements.
Among the Lakota, a favorite fruit to use in wojapi is chokecherries either fresh or dried (which have been soaked). You can also use canned fruit such as plums, blueberries, or boysenberries. It seems like berries work better than other fruits. When I was a young woman, some people made wojapi out of tomatoes. I am going to base this recipe on canned fruit since that is most accessible.
Ingredients
● One can of fruit ● One and half cans of water ● Sugar or artificial sweeteners to taste. I am aware that you can also use artificial sweeteners and you might be able to learn more from an internet search. ● Cornstarch or flour. Flour can be used but it changes the taste and texture of the wojapi so I recommend the cornstarch. ● Service with fry bread
Preparation
1. Add one can of fruit in pan, mashed with a spoon or potato masher 2. Add one and half cans of water. 3. Add sugar/sweetener to taste, you will want to sweeten the pudding as it will be tart. 4. Heat the mixture. Cook over medium heat and watch carefully to prevent burning. 5. I then take a ½ cup or so of the mixture (or you can use hot water) and I make a cornstarch paste, which I then slowly add to the mixture, stirring the whole time. The wojapi will thicken from the cornstarch. If it is not thick like pudding, add a little bit more cornstarch paste. Do not add the cornstarch without adding the hot water or mixture, it will create cornstarch strings in your wojapi. Flour can be used but it changes the taste and texture of the wojapi so I recommend the cornstarch. 6. Once thickened, it is ready to eat. Of course, we like to eat it with fry bread.
