Ghanaian Waakye: Ghana's Emblematic Rice and Beans

Name: Ghanaian Waakye: Ghana's Emblematic Rice and Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 personnes
Cuisine: Ghana — Afrique de l'Ouest
Ingredients: 300 g de riz long; 200 g de haricots noirs; 1 càc de bicarbonate; 100 g de gari; 3 càs de shito; 4 oeufs durs; 1 oignon, sel

Recipe for Ghanaian Waakye: rice and beans cooked with millet leaves, served with gari, shito and egg. A popular Accra dish delivered by NKOSI.

Prep.

15 min

Cuisson

50 min

Total

65 min

Servings

4 personnes

Niveau

Facile

Cuisine

Ghana — Afrique de l'Ouest

Ingrédients

300 g de riz long
200 g de haricots noirs
1 càc de bicarbonate
100 g de gari
3 càs de shito
4 oeufs durs
1 oignon, sel

Préparation

1

Faire tremper les haricots noirs 6 heures.
2

Cuire les haricots avec bicarbonate 30 minutes.
3

Ajouter le riz et 600 ml d'eau, cuire 20 minutes.
4

Pendant ce temps, cuire les oeufs durs.
5

Servir le waakye chaud avec gari saupoudré, shito à côté, oeuf dur en moitié.

Pour aller plus loin : histoire, variantes, accompagnements et conseils

In brief

Waakye: rice and black beans cooked with Ghanaian sorghum leaves
Origin: Ghana, a popular street dish of Accra and the North
Essential ingredients: rice, black beans, sorghum leaves or baking soda, shito, gari
Setting: morning street food, a hearty family meal

Origins and cultural history of Waakye

Waakye (pronounced waa-chay) is one of the most beloved dishes of Ghana. Originating in northern Ghana and popularised in Accra, it is the breakfast or brunch par excellence. What sets it apart: cooking the rice and beans with dried sorghum leaves, which give the rice a characteristic brown-red colour. For the Ghanaian diaspora in France, it is the Sunday essential.

What are the essential ingredients of Waakye

Long-grain rice: 300 g
Black or red beans: 200 g
Sorghum leaves or baking soda: for the colour
Gari: to sprinkle on top
Shito (Ghanaian chilli sauce)
Onion, salt, hard-boiled eggs

Nutritional benefits of Waakye

A complete dish in complex carbohydrates (rice, beans), plant proteins and fibre. At 420 kcal/serving, it is a balanced dish that sustains energy for a good part of the day. Rich in iron, magnesium and B vitamins.