AuthorEmma AkuffoCategoryEntréesDifficultyIntermediateWaakye is a Ghanaian dish of cooked rice and beans, commonly eaten for breakfast or lunch. The rice and beans, usually black eyed peas, are cooked together, along with red dried sorghum leaf sheaths. I hope you enjoy this easy recipe!
Rinse the beans and set aside. Boil measured water and add waakye leaves to boiling water. You will notice a change of color - the boiling water will turn burgundy red.
Add beans to boiling water. Let it cook for 15 minutes. Make sure the beans don't boil for too long. This will result in soft beans, which we don't want since your beans will still get cooked along with the rice.
Add Baking Soda. The baking soda will deepen the color of your waakye, making it more red and appealing to the eyes!
Add rice to the boiling water.
Add salt to taste
Optional: Add your 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil. This will prevent your rice from clumping together and becoming soft. You can omit this step if you want your waakye soft.
Stir in the measured water (and the Baking soda if using). Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Leave to cook, covered, for 25 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
Remove all the waakye leaves from your cooked waakye. The leaves are removed because they're used simply to get the desired color. Once you're done removing the waakye leaves, your waakye is ready! Dish out on a plate to garnish.
Garnish with the soft-boiled eggs, spaghetti, and gari
Add veg-based stew. If preferred, serve with shito (hot sauce) as a side to any meat or veg-based stew.
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse the beans and set aside. Boil measured water and add waakye leaves to boiling water. You will notice a change of color - the boiling water will turn burgundy red.
Add beans to boiling water. Let it cook for 15 minutes. Make sure the beans don't boil for too long. This will result in soft beans, which we don't want since your beans will still get cooked along with the rice.
Add Baking Soda. The baking soda will deepen the color of your waakye, making it more red and appealing to the eyes!
Add rice to the boiling water.
Add salt to taste
Optional: Add your 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil. This will prevent your rice from clumping together and becoming soft. You can omit this step if you want your waakye soft.
Stir in the measured water (and the Baking soda if using). Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Leave to cook, covered, for 25 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
Remove all the waakye leaves from your cooked waakye. The leaves are removed because they're used simply to get the desired color. Once you're done removing the waakye leaves, your waakye is ready! Dish out on a plate to garnish.
Garnish with the soft-boiled eggs, spaghetti, and gari
Add veg-based stew. If preferred, serve with shito (hot sauce) as a side to any meat or veg-based stew.
Wow, this is a lot easier than I’d thought. I can’t wait to try it out sbd I’ll be back to comment on results….IF* I remember lol
Thank you for sharing this
Have fun trying it! Make sure you measure the water well so it doesn’t get too soft.