In brief
- Waakye: rice and black-eyed peas cooked together, coloured with dried sorghum leaves
- Origin: northern Ghana, among the Mole-Dagbon and Hausa communities
- Essential ingredients: rice, black-eyed peas (niébé), dried sorghum leaves, gari
- A breakfast street food, eaten at any time of day
Origins and cultural history of waakye
The waakye was born in northern Ghana, a region where sorghum, rice and black-eyed peas are grown, among the Mole-Dagbon and the Hausa communities settled in the zongo neighbourhoods. Its name comes from the Hausa expression shinkafa da wake, literally “rice and beans”. Popularised in Accra through internal migration, it has become one of the most widely eaten street foods in the country, at any time of day.
What sets waakye apart: the rice and black-eyed peas cook together with dried sorghum leaves (or food-grade potash), which tint the whole dish a characteristic reddish brown before being removed.
What are the essential ingredients of waakye
Waakye relies on two dried ingredients cooked together, coloured with dried leaves, then served with a complementary starch.
- long-grain rice
- dried black-eyed peas (niébé)
- dried sorghum leaves or food-grade baking soda
- gari, as an accompaniment
- salt
What to know about waakye
Waakye is a dish of rice and black-eyed beans (niébé) cooked together with dried sorghum leaves, which tint everything a characteristic reddish brown before being removed. It comes from northern Ghana, from the Mole-Dagbon and Hausa communities, and its name comes from the Hausa expression shinkafa da wake, “rice and beans”. It is one of the most popular street dishes in the country, eaten at any hour of the day, notably at breakfast. Without sorghum leaves, half a teaspoon of baking soda added to the cooking water of the beans gives the same colour, and gari goes alongside.
Frequently asked questions about waakye
How do you get waakye's red colour without sorghum leaves?
In the absence of dried sorghum leaves, half a teaspoon of food-grade baking soda added to the beans' cooking water reproduces the traditional reddish-brown colour.
What is the origin of the name waakye?
The word waakye comes from the Hausa expression shinkafa da wake, meaning rice and beans; the dish was born in northern Ghana, among the Mole-Dagbon and the Hausa communities of the zongo neighbourhoods.
Where can I find the ingredients for waakye in France?
NKOSI sells the rice, black-eyed peas and gari used in waakye, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
