TEN BEST GHANAIAN DISHES

Ghana is made up of 10 regions and over hundred ethnic groups. Each region has it's own traditional dish, methods of preparation and depending on which ethnic group you originate from, the use of varied ingredients. The diverse dishes of the country are intriguing to say the least with influences from neighbouring towns or countries. 

 With this in mind you can imagine the differed and countless recipes available in the country and I'm keen to explore them all.

Here's a countdown of my favourite 10 Ghanaian dishes; a must have if you ever visit Ghana.  

                            

Kenkey

Kenkey is made from fermented milled corn, which is steamed in corn husks and it's readily available in every street corner. Most Ghanaians purchase their Kenkey rather than make it at home and it's cost effective to do so. 

Kenkey is paired with freshly caught  fried fish, black chilli sauce (known as Shito) , red chilli & tomato salsa (known as raw pepper) an onion and tomato salad. 

The accompaniments of Kenkey are varied as one could enjoy it with tinned sardines (memories of the brand 'Titus'), fried egg, Avocado, fried shrimps , one man thousand (fried tiny fishes) etc. 

Kenkey is enjoyed anytime of the day, particularly for breakfast and or dinner. Osu night market serves the best Kenkey and other famous joints across the country. Please share in your comments below, your best Kenkey joints. 

Ghanaians don't believe in wastage, hence when Kenkey is a few days old, it's blended into a cold delicious creamy drink known as Iced Kenkey. 

Banku 

Banku is consumed a few times a week in most homes. Banku is made from fermented milled corn and lightly fermented blended cassava paste. The corn and cassava are mixed together with water, steamed and turned consistently to form a smooth firm dumpling. 

There are variations of this dish known as Akple, Tuo Zaafi, Etsew etc which supports the variations and similarities of each tribal groups dishes.

Banku is traditionally served with Okra soup or Okra stew. 

It can be consumed with Groundnut soup, Palm nut soup or in place of Kenkey. 

Grilled Tilapia recipe

Banku is also enjoyed with chargoal grilled  Tilapia or Mackerel with a spicy tomato salsa ,( known as raw pepper) and or a green chilli sauce (Kpakpo shito)

Click here for an Okra recipe and Tilapia recipe.

Kelewele 

Kelewele is a street snack that can be replicated at home easily, however it tastes better when purchased from the vendor. 

Kelewele is made from using ripened Plantain mixed with blended Ginger, Onion, Chilli and a special spice mix. It's deep fried till golden brown, with a crunchy spicy exterior, an almost candy like  and moist sweet interior which is served in an old news paper and sprinkled with roasted groundnuts. 

I describe Kelewele as the 'date' snack as I'm yet to hear anyone say 'no' to an offer of hot and freshly fried Kelewele. This is a must have snack (beware its spicy) best with a chilled glass of beer.

Watch how to make Kelewele on my YouTube page  above and don't forget to subscribe 

Fufu

I describe Fufu as a calorie burning and rewarding dish. Fufu is made from boiled unripened Plantain and Cassava, which is then pounded using a large wooden pestle and mortar till it's soft and pliable.

The apt description of 'calorie burning' Fufu lies with the activity of pounding. One could pound for about 30 minutes , whilst another navigates the mixture to achieve a smooth, pliable soft texture. 

 The reward been a delicious bowl of Fufu and your favourite soup ( where one will gain the calories they just lost) 😂. If you're unlucky and your craving for Fufu has to be satisfied (and you have no one to do the pounding)  you would've to do the pounding with one hand and the turning with the other. 💪🏾

 Fufu is best served with either Groundnut soup, Palm nut soup, Light soup (spicy tomato soup) or Spinach soup. The soup can be made with your preferred meat, Chicken, Fish etc.

The best Fufu is served in local bars known as 'Chop bars' or if you can befriend a kind local, they can reward you with a scrumptious bowl of Fufu without any hustle. A gift showing your appreciation is a must. 😘

Fresh Fufu, No pounding recipe

I created a hustle free way of enjoying Fufu without pounding, which was featured on ABNTV. 

See the video on my YouTube page and don't forget to subscribe.

Jollof rice

Ghanaian Jollof rice is a celebratory dish, which is made from rice cooked in a perfectly spiced rich tomato sauce. You'll find this dish at most events, good restaurants and at people's  homes.

Mutton Jollof recipe

Good idea to yet again befriend the local and ask them to include the 'Kanzo'😜. The 'Kanzo' is the rice which is stuck to the bottom of the pan after cooking and then scraped off. It takes some chewing but it's rewarding with its intense flavour. 

Jollof rice is best served with the 'Ghanaian salad' (which is a meal of its own) grilled or fried Chicken, Fish or your preferred meat. 

How to make the perfect Jollof rice

See how to make Jollof rice with a twist on my YouTube page, by watching the video above. Try, comment, share and subscribe 

Red Red

Red, Red is a popular street food, made from boiled black eyed beans, with a drizzle of spiced Palm oil (best is Zomi) which lends its deep orange, almost red colour to the dish (hence the name). Red, Red is a popular vegetarian dish which is readily available during lunchtime. The beans are served with fried ripened Plantain and Gari 

(made from grated, fermented and toasted Cassava or Yuca).

The recipe for making Red Red is relatively easy, apart from the painstaking process of picking the the imperfect beans and small stones from the perfect ones. 

The process of selection is usually between siblings, where the conversation is centred around who's slacking. The work is shared 'evenly' much to the displeasure of the 'lazy' one 😜.

You can imagine my excitement when I discovered the option of buying pre selected black eyed beans in Ghana. 

'Squabble squashed and order is restored amongst siblings for now, thanks to the pre selected beans'. 

Find the recipe by clicking here

'Red, Red'.

Fried Sweet Potatoes 

This is a great fast street food, where the white sweet flesh potatoes are used. Sweet potatoes in the UK are mostly referred to the orange fleshed ones, however this is the sweet white flesh version which is readily available in most supermarkets and grocers. Give it a try. 

The sweet potatoes are peeled and cut into big chunks. They're known locally as 'Atoomo'. The potatoes are deep fried and served with a spicyTomato Sauce  (Raw pepper) and black chilli sauce (known as Shito). They're also served with fried Turkey tail, fried Fish or Chicken.  

Waakye 

The only food I know people will travel far and wide for is Waakye. Vendors take pride  in serving this dish with the display of varied accompaniments, such as Gari fortor (Gari mixed with a rich tomato sauce), Green salad, Spaghetti (known as 'Thalia') to mention but a few.

Waakye is made from boiled rice and black eyed beans which is infused with millet leaves to achieve its rich brownish colour. It's readily available at lunchtimes hence don't miss it. 

Waakye is best served in leaves and you have the choice of adding your preferred protein of Fish, meat and or eggs. In recent times Waakye has taken a decadent approach where the option of including fried Plantain and slices of Avocado (locally known as Pear, don't ask me why?) is encouraged.

 Be prepared to queue for the best Waakye in town and don't try to moan at the vendor for how long you had to wait; just don't. Order your Waakye with a smile , find a space to enjoy each delicious morsel in peace. 😜

Click here for the

Waakye recipe

Chinchinga/Suya

This popular Khebab is made from either Goat  or Beef , marinated in Yaji (Suya mixed spice) and char grilled. The Khebab  is skewered in accordance of a cubed meat, an Onion and Green peppers (this process is repeated until each skewer is filled). 

I'll describe the taste as smoky and nutty with a crunchy texture from the Onions and Green peppers. Be warned , it's highly addictive 

( I bet you won't stop with a skewer and you'll order some more).

This is a perfect snack enjoyed with a chilled bottle of beer either by a poolside or beach front. It's readily available from dinner time, hence just follow the delicious smell of a barbecue by the street side (not to someone's home) to be served.

🙏🏾

Click here for the recipe

BEEF SUYA RECIPE

Kontomire 

Kontomire stew is made from Cocoyam leaves , melon seeds and your preferred fish or meat. Kontomire is similar to Spinach and the process of cooking it, is similar to the Indian dish, Saag. 

This dish is available in most restaurants or local bars known as Chop bars. It's best eaten with boiled Yam, Rice, unripened or ripened Plantain and it's easy to make. 

Kontomire recipe

For the best experience with this sauce, you need to yet again befriend a local, help them prepare it and sit on the low stool and table, wash your hands and eat with your fingers. 

KONTOMIRE RECIPE

You need to eat quickly as there's the tendency of uninvited guests appearing suddenly just when food is ready. 

It's at your own risk to invite them to join you (you've been warned 💃🏽) Thank me later for the experience 😜 .

 If for any other reason no one offers to cook for you (maybe due to your stinginess 🙈), just find a restaurant and eat alone 😳 

This is my view of the 10 best dishes to taste in Ghana, however you're welcome to leave comments about alternatives or your favourite dish.

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog. 

MUTTON JOLLOF RICE RECIPE

Enjoy this decadent and flavour packed recipe with a nutty twist by Chef Fafa of 'Ndudu by Fafa' .  

Serves 6

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hr 30 minutes

Marinating : 3-24 hrs

Mutton 

Ingredients 

1.5kg of Mutton washed, cleaned and cut into sizeable chunks

Marinade;

30g of Ginger

1 large Onion cut into chunks 

1 teaspoon of Ajwan seeds

1 teaspoon of Coriander seeds

1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds

3 cloves of peeled Garlic

3 green chillies 

Method 

Place all the ingredients for the marinade in a blender.

Add about 40ml of water and blend to a smooth paste. 

Mix the marinade with the Mutton and fridge for a minimum of 3hrs. 

Tip:

Preferably marinating the mutton overnight is a better option. 

Transfer the marinated Mutton to a sauce pan and steam on a gentle heat for 25 minutes. 

Add 800ml of beef stock or water to the Mutton and cook for a further 30 minutes or until tender (still on a medium heat). 

Transfer it to a baking tray and reserve the stock for the Jollof rice. Bake the Mutton in a pre heated oven of 180*c for 35 minutes or until browned and set aside.

You should have about 250ml of Mutton stock left. 

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hr

Tomato sauce

Ingredients 

Add 200g of Tomato purée to 250ml of water. Mix to a smooth paste. 

800g of fresh sun ripened Tomato cut into chunks 

3 large Red peppers cut into chunks (optional)

20g of roughly chopped peeled Ginger

1 Habanero chilli (optional)

10g of crushed Guinean pepper or Grains of Paradise. 

Half a teaspoon of all spice

3 large Red Onions

50ml of Groundnut oil

1 Shrimp stock cube

1 tablespoonful of madras curry powder  (readily available in most Asian grocers).

1 teaspoon of wild thyme 

Salt and pepper to taste. 

Method;

Add the oil to a saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Blend the onions, Grains of Paradise, Ginger and chillies into a paste. 

Add the 'Onion blend' to the oil and fry  for 6-8 minutes (till the volume reduces in half). 

Add the tomato purée and cook till it turns into a paste. This should take about  12-15 minutes. 

Blend the tomatoes and pepper till smooth. 

Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and stir till well mixed. 

Reduce the heat to a low setting and cook for 25 minutes, by which time the sauce has reduced by half.

Add the Madras curry, wild thyme, shrimp stock, Mutton and stir.

Cook for a further 15 minutes and constantly stir. Watch the sauce turn into a dark rich colour.

I prefer not to add salt to the sauce at this stage. 

The sauce is at it's best, 24hrs after cooking. This allows all the spices to infuse naturally. Making of this sauce is time consuming, hence I make a large portion to last a few weeks. 

Best to make the sauce before Christmas Day  (to reduce your cooking time on the the day).

This recipe makes 750g of sauce. 

Place the sauce in an airtight container and place it in the fridge till you need it. 

The sauce will keep in the fridge for 3 days, however it's best to freeze for no longer than a month.

Tip 

Personally I prefer to let my sauce rest for 

24hrs to enable the spices to infuse. Trust me, your Jollof will benefit from this natural process of infusion.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Jollof rice;

Ingredients

750g of dark rich spicy tomato sauce

450g of aged Basmati rice 

Alternatively you can use Jasmin rice or long grain rice.

Half a teaspoon of grated nutmeg or mace (readily available in most supermarkets).

3 bay leaves

2 tablespoons of Coconut oil

250ml of Mutton stock

Salt to taste. 

Method 

Wash the rice till the water runs clear and soak it for about 15 minutes. 

Tip

The washing reduces the starch content of the rice hence achieving a perfect, separated and fluffy rice. 

 The soaking also cuts the cooking time in half and helps the rice to absorb the flavours of the sauce.

Add 500g of the tomato sauce to a heavy based saucepan or a claypot and place on a medium heat. 

Warm the sauce up for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally and add the washed rice. 

Fry the rice in the sauce for 6-8 minutes  (making sure the rice has absorbed the sauce and it's well coated).

Add your preferred stock or the Mutton stock, bay leaves, grated nutmeg, salt and stir. Add half of the baked Mutton to the rice and mix.

Once it starts to boil, lower the heat, cover with scrunched up baking paper, grease proof paper or foil  and finally cover with the lid. 

The whole point of this is to trap the steam in the saucepan and allow the rice to cook with little water. This will also intensify the flavour of the rice. 

Mix the remaining half of the Mutton with the remaining 250g of tomato sauce and set aside for later. 

Cook the rice for 20-22 minutes, till fluffy and el dente ( I prefer my rice to have a little bite). This is optional and you can steam it till it's completely soft but not soggy.

Turn the heat off and add the coconut oil to the rice and mix well. Cover the rice and leave it to continue cooking in it's steam for 5 minutes. The coconut oil brings all the flavours together by adding a nutty taste to the dish. Thank me later for the tip. 

To serve

Ingredients 

2 large sliced Shallots

125g of chopped Coriander 

1 teaspoon of Groundnut or Coconut oil

Half a teaspoon of Lime/Lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste. 

Method;

Add the oil to a frying pan and place on a medium heat. 

Add the sliced shallots and fry till it starts browning. (5-6 minutes)

Add the coriander and stir for 30 seconds 

Add the lime juice, salt and mix well for another 30 seconds and turn the heat off. 

Scoop your Jollof into a serving plate

Distribute the meat evenly (as shown below)

Sprinkle the onion and coriander mix over it. 

Warm the Mutton and sauce up and transfer to a serving bowl. 

Side dishes

Fried cubed Plantain

A chunky Avocado and sweet onion salad

Honey glazed roasted carrots

Ever decadent Ghanaian salad. 

Merry Christmas everyone and a big thank you for your continuous support. Enjoy!

Watch the Jollof video on my YouTube page 

 

All the photos and recipe are by the owner of this blog. Subscribe to my YouTube page for more recipes. 

FUFU & LIGHT SOUP

 Enjoy this fresh Fufu in a pot with light soup (spicy tomato soup) 

and use your preferred Meat, Poultry , Game, Seafood, Fish or Vegetables to make it.

Light soup

Ingredients;

Serves 6

1.5 kg of mutton cut into sizeable chunks (ask your butcher to cut into your preferred chunks)

3 large tomatoes

25g cleaned ginger cut into chunks

2 large onions

2 cloves of peeled garlic

20g of de stalked kpakpo shito Ghanaian chillies ( Pettie Belle) 

1 teaspoon of carom seeds (optional)

80g of tomato paste

3 litres of Chicken stock (your preferred stock) or Water  

Alternatively you can use 2 Bouillon cube

Salt

Method;

Wash and clean your mutton and place in a bowl.

In a blender add the ginger, 1 chopped onion, garlic, carom seeds and 10g of Kpakpo shito

Add a little water and blend to a smooth paste. 

Add the paste to the mutton

Mix the paste well into the mutton and refrigerate overnight or at least for 2hrs . 

Remove your mutton from the fridge and place in a saucepan or clay pot. 

Place your saucepan on a medium heat and steam your meat in it's juices, (add a little water if needed).

Cook slowly for about 30 minutes and add your tomato paste. 

If you're using Bouillon cube;

 Crumble your preferred cube into the sauce at this stage. 

Mix till well combined and cook for a further 5 minutes, making sure you stir constantly. 

Add your  fresh tomatoes and 1 whole onion and cook for a further 3 minutes. 

Add 1.5 litres of your preferred stock  or water and cook for a further 15 minutes

The tomatoes and onion should be cooked through now. 

Remove the tomatoes and onion and place in a blender. 

Add the remaining stock/ water to the blender. 

Blend to a smooth consistency. 

Using a fine colander, pass the tomato and onion blend through into a bowl 

Add your strained juice to the mutton and cook for a further 20-25 minutes. 

Add the remaining Kpakpo shito (chillies) and cook for a further 5 minutes. 

Taste the mutton to make sure it's tender. 

Add salt to taste and enjoy. 

FUFU

Ingredients:

300g of  peeled un-ripened Plantain cut into cubes.

460g of peeled  Cassava, scraped, de-stringed and cut into cubes. 

500ml of water for a soft Fufu or 400ml for a firmer Fufu.

Method 

Tip:

It's important, you use a very good blender. I used Vitamix (which blends everything into a silky smooth paste). 

Transfer the Cassava and Plantain into your blender and add 450ml of water. 

Blend into a silky smooth paste. 

Transfer the contents into a saucepan and place on a medium heat. 

Tip:

It's very important you stir the mixture consistently, to avoid any lumps. 

Using a wooden spatula, keep stirring till you have a smooth, thick steamed paste. This should take about 8-10min. 

Warning!

Please don't be tempted to leave it alone when you're in the process of thickening the batter. This is to avoid having lumps in your 'Fufu'. 

Add the remaining 50ml of water to the Fufu, cover the saucepan with it's lid, reduce the heat to a lower setting and steam for 8-10min

Watch the recipe on my 

YouTube page and don't forget to subscribe and share. 

Information: 

Steaming the Fufu, cooks the mixture further and eliminates the raw taste.

Increase the heat to a medium fire and stir the mixture till well combined. 

Tip:

Please don't be alarmed, if your Fufu looks too soft at this stage,  it gets firmer once it's cooled down. 

Pour the Fufu into a bowl, smear the surface with a teaspoon  of water ( to prevent any film forming on the surface and leave to cool down completely. 

Once cooled, shape into your preferred ball and serve with your favourite soup.