Aside being an established economic sector, and providing employment on a formal and informal basis, agriculture in Ghana is the source of all the country’s delicious delicacies.
Ghana produces a variety of crops in various climatic zones which range from dry savanna to wet forest and which run in east–west bands across Ghana. Agricultural crops, including yams, grains, cocoa, oil palms, kola nuts, and timber, form the base of agriculture in Ghana’s economy. In 2013 agriculture employed 53.6% of the total labor force in Ghana.
It is not much of a surprise Ghanaian delicacies hold a special place in the hearts of all who taste them. The beauty of traditional Ghanaian foods is the exquisite use of, locally grown food crops one would usually not take in, and turning it into something tasty and worth eating.
Today, we will be looking at the top five cuisines to try, upon a visit to the beautiful independent African country Ghana.
Waakye
Waakye, a food that showcases, Ghanaians’ creative use of rice. The recipe is a medley of beans and rice which was originally a Northern dish, but it can now be found almost everywhere on the streets of Accra. Be rest assured of having your tongue explore a wide range of Ghanaian tastes and flavours after eating Waakye, as the main dish is served with other sides such as fried plantain, garri (cassava flakes), spaghetti and avocado.
Red-red
Red-red popularly known as, ‘gob3’, is a filling traditional dish that consists of cowpea beans boiled, served with palm oil and soft, or hard fried plantains. It is one of the Ghanaian dishes that doesn’t use a lot of spice because the main taste comes from the ingredients it is served with. Mostly, it is served with garri to make it even more hearty. Red-red is also a perfect choice for vegetarians as no animal products are used. Others however enjoy this meal with added protein products, such as, fish, egg, which though tasty is not good for your health.
Fufu and goat light soup
In the Eastern and Ashanti regions of Ghana, one meal guaranteed to work its wonder is fufu and goat light soup, the proud dish of the Akan. Fufu is a widespread food across West Africa but in Ghana, it is made by pounding a mixture of boiled cassava and unripe plantains into a soft sticky paste to go along with aromatic and spicy tomato soup. Fufu can also be found in Northern Ghana, although it is made with yam in this region. This weekend delight is relished across the country, albeit with slight differences made to the core recipe.
Tuo Zaafi
The meal of the Northern Ghanaians. This food is dominated by the use of grains, herbs and meat as these are the main food products of the area. Tuo Zaafi, similar to banku, is quite soft and less sticky, and is made by cooking corn dough and adding a little cassava. What distinguishes Tuo Zaafi and makes it a popular meal nationwide is the nutritious and rare herbs used in making the accompanying soup, including dawadawa and ayoyo leaves.
Kenkey and fried fish
Kenkey is another corn-based meal similar to banku, that is made by moulding fermented corn dough into balls and wrapping them around dried corn leaves, which are then boiled. The meal is served with hot pepper sauce, fried crabs, octopus or fish and is a delicacy of the Ga’s.
REFERENCES
Available online at, https://theculturetrip.com/africa/ghana/articles/10-traditional-ghanaian-dishes-you-need-to-try/.
