Wojapi is a traditional Native American recipe for a thick berry sauce similar to jam. It is most often enjoyed with Indian frybread. Native Americans would make wojapi using wild berries found on the Great Plains. The original recipe does not include any sweetener, and it’s still not a necessary ingredient if the berries are ripe. The addition of cornstarch as a thickener also is optional, as the dish can be simmered down to the desired consistency without it. Wojapi is often enjoyed spread on warm frybread.
Recipe Servings: 10
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, chokecherries, or a combination)
- 1¼ cups water, divided
- Sugar or honey, as desired for sweetness
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
Directions
- Wash the berries.
- Place the berries in a bowl and mash them.
- Combine the berries and 1 cup water in a large saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir frequently being careful not to burn the berries.
- Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture on low heat for 60 minutes, stirring often.
- Taste the berry mixture to decide if it needs to be sweetened with sugar or honey. If so, add either until the mixture reaches the desired sweetness.
- Place the cornstarch in a cup and mix in ¼ cup of cold water. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the hot pan of berries, stirring until it reaches the desired thickness. This step is only necessary if you want to thicken the berry mixture.
- Serve the wojapi warm with hot frybread, if desired.
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