Waakye, a dish made from beans and rice, is a familiar sight to most Ghanaians. This simple, nutritious meal can be found on sale all over the country, from restaurants to street food stall.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups rice
- 1 cup black eye beans
- 6-8 waakye leaves
- Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pick stones and grits from the beans.
- Wash the beans and add into the pressure cooker.
- Wash the waakye leaves and also add into the pressure cookers. Pour in water up to the minimum level on the pot.
- Close the valve of the pressure cooker and leave until it reaches full pressure. This should take no more than 15 mins.
- One it reaches full pressure, reduce the heat and leave for additional 10 mins for the beans to cook.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool down naturally to depressurize. This should take around 20 mins.
- Once the pot is adequately cooled. Unlock the lid. Pour the beans with the cooking liquid and the waakye leaves into another pot. Wash the rice and pour into the pot too.
- Add more water if needed so there is enough to cook the rice. Add some salt and cover the pot.
- Allow the rice to cook. The time for this depends on the type of rice used. Check pack instructions if you are not sure.
- Remove the waakye leaves and serve with your favourite side.
History of Waakye
Waakye originated from northern Ghana, where rice and beans are staple food crops. However, it’s not clear which specific ethnic group is responsible for pioneering this national treasure. Depending on where it’s prepared, certain variations exist in its ingredients, like the ratio of rice to beans or the spiciness of the accompanying shitor (hot pepper sauce). Nevertheless, it manages to maintain a generally consistent taste.
Waakye is a combination of red or black-eyed beans and rice, and it’s often served with salads, spaghetti, fried plantains, garri, meat and fish. It’s a delicacy all over the country, and Ghanaians frequently queue at stalls to buy it for their breakfast or lunch.
But waakye has its own unique characteristics, thanks to the many different accompaniments it’s served with. These reflect the influences of all the Ghanaian cultures that have adopted this traditional meal and made it their own. The leaves add flavour and give waakye (pronounced waa-che) its distinctive reddish-brown colour. The leaves are also rich in antioxidants, which in turn can be good for human health.
Waakye is also an excellent choice for vegetarians who want to try out traditional Ghanaian food, as it can be eaten with just salads, juicy fried plantains and spaghetti. When bought from street stalls or restaurants, it’s packaged in broad green leaves, aptly named ‘waakye leaves’. It’s said these leaves are used to prevent the dangers of packaging food in polythene bags,
Waakye is affordable and easy to come by. Indeed, it’s the popularity of the street stalls that has helped to increase the consumption office this dish in major cities like Accra, Kumasi and Cape. So, if you’re in any of these places, do try the local waakye. Pls remember that the best waakye mostly comes from the north. But the health benefits of eating waakye are poorly understood. Antioxidants can protect cells in the body from damage and are thought to help fight a range of illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. However, antioxidant levels in food and their effects can be affected by cooking methods, and waakye is no exception.
