Ghana Food and Drink * Enjoy something different? Read On! - Main Page
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Read below also; How to prepare Ghanaian / African food.
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The typical Ghanaian staples in the south include cassava and plantain, FuFu, Kinkey and Bankou.
In the northern parts of the country, their main staples include millet and sorghum. Yam, maize and beans aroused across the country as staple foods. Crops such as peanuts and Coco-Yam are also important in the local cuisine. With the advent of modernization and colonialism, imported crops such as rice and wheat have been increasingly incorporated in Ghanaian cuisine.. Some Ghana & Africa Food Facts; |
Use unrefined palm oil (Most African shops, all over the world sell Palm Oil unrefined)
Use unrefined palm oil! - Palm Oil is edible vegetable oil obtained from the palm fruit of the Oil Palm Tree. Based on its health benefits due to its richness in Vitamins A & E and Carotenes, Palm Oil is increasingly becoming a first choice for many consumers, especially in the wake of the healthy eating trend in our world today. It is not hydrogenated and contains no trans-fats!
Red palm oil is rich on antioxidants like tocotrienols and carotenes!
Red palm oil is rich on antioxidants like tocotrienols and carotenes!
Some recipes for dishes from Ghana.How to prepare some of the Ghana Food (Included pictures of Ghana Food!):
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Palmnut Pulp Juice ready for use in the preparation of a traditional Palmnut Soup. (Canned product)
Gari - Staple Food in GhanaGari is made from fresh cassava.
This is grated and the excess liquid then squeezed out. The grated cassava is then fried in a thin layer of palm oil or vegetable oil. It is a versatile food, with a high intuitive value. It can accompany fish, meat, beans and vegetables. |
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They are garnered from five cookbooks:
ANC -- African News Cookbook: African Cooking for Western Kitchens, Africa News Service, Inc., edited by Tami Hultman, Penguin Books (Viking Press), ISBN 0 14 046.751 3 (pbk) CAC -- Caribbean and African Cookery, by Rosamund Grant, Distributed in the U.S. by Seven Hills Books, Cincinnati, OH, ISBN 0-948817-13-5 BCIC - Betty Crocker's International Cookbook, NY: Random House, ISBN 0- 394-50453-4 FC --- Fiery Cuisines: A Hot & Spicy Food Lover's Cookbook, by Dave Dewitt and Nancy Gerlach, Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc., ISBN 0- 8092-5148-5 TH --- Totally Hot! The Ultimate Hot Pepper Cookbook, by Michael Goodwin, Charles Perry, and Naomi Wise, Garden City, NY: A Dolphin Book (Doubleday & Co), 1986, ISBN 0-385-19198-7. Soon more recipes here! (and more even more pictures!)
And there is no website, with more Ghana Food pictures online! |
Trans fats, or trans-unsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, are a type of unsaturated fats that are uncommon in nature but became commonly produced industrially from vegetable fats for use in margarine, snack food, packaged baked goods and frying fast food starting in the 1950s.[1][2][3] Trans fat has been shown to consistently be associated, in an intake-dependent way, with risk of coronary heart disease, the worldwide leading cause of death. (All Wikipedia links)
Companies using Trans Fat: McDonald, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and many other fast food chains. Trans Fat is also in prefabricated potato chips (Walkers), Cakes and Chocolate bars...
According to Wikipedia (on the same page): Trans fats levels can be reduced or eliminated using saturated fats such as lard, palm oil or fully hydrogenated fats.. Which is not true! Trans Fat developes mainly due HEATING of "unnatural" fats, like magarine, cooking oil (rasped) or "Granola" Oil, which is corn oil.
Whiles Palm Oil, Coconut Oil and Lard are a source of NATURAL FAT, and much more Heat RESISTANT. Which means, they don`t change this fast into Trans-Fat!
Companies using Trans Fat: McDonald, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and many other fast food chains. Trans Fat is also in prefabricated potato chips (Walkers), Cakes and Chocolate bars...
According to Wikipedia (on the same page): Trans fats levels can be reduced or eliminated using saturated fats such as lard, palm oil or fully hydrogenated fats.. Which is not true! Trans Fat developes mainly due HEATING of "unnatural" fats, like magarine, cooking oil (rasped) or "Granola" Oil, which is corn oil.
Whiles Palm Oil, Coconut Oil and Lard are a source of NATURAL FAT, and much more Heat RESISTANT. Which means, they don`t change this fast into Trans-Fat!
According to two reports published in 2010 by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition palm oil is an accepted replacement for hydrogenated vegetable oils and a natural replacement for partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, which are a significant source of trans fats!
Unrefined palm oil is a large natural source of tocotrienol, part of the vitamin E family
Human use of oil palms may date as far back as 5,000 years; in the late 1800s, archaeologists discovered a substance that they concluded was originally palm oil in a tomb at Abydos dating back to 3,000 BCE. It is believed that Arab traders brought the oil palm to Egypt.Back to Top
This foods represent some of the staple foods in Ghana.
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Eating Out
There is no shortage of inexpensive "chop bars" (local small restaurant) in Ghana, particularly in Accra, where you can buy Ghanaian staples such as Fufu, Kenkey, Banku, & Jollof Rice.
These dishes are often made out of crops commonly farmed in Ghana, including Cssava, Yam, Plantain, and meats such as goat, fish, and chicken.
Popular dishes available from roadsides include roasted Plantain, chicken skewers, and a delicious treat called Killi-Willi an interesting mix of deep fried Plantain seasoned with Ginger, pepper & salt.
There is no shortage of inexpensive "chop bars" (local small restaurant) in Ghana, particularly in Accra, where you can buy Ghanaian staples such as Fufu, Kenkey, Banku, & Jollof Rice.
These dishes are often made out of crops commonly farmed in Ghana, including Cssava, Yam, Plantain, and meats such as goat, fish, and chicken.
Popular dishes available from roadsides include roasted Plantain, chicken skewers, and a delicious treat called Killi-Willi an interesting mix of deep fried Plantain seasoned with Ginger, pepper & salt.
Breakfast in Ghana
Most of the dishes mentioned above are served during lunch and supper in modern Ghana. However, it is not uncommon to find agrarian communities having these meals before farm work in the morning.
In large cities, working-class people would often take tea, cocoa, oats, rice porridge (locally called Rice Water), Kooko (fermented maize porridge) and Koose/Akara or Maasa (rice and maize meal fritters).
Other breakfast foods include Ekuegbemi (grits), Oblayo (maize porridge), Tombrown (roasted maize porridge), and Millet porridge the most popular foods are Jollof Rice and Fufu.
Bread is an important feature in Ghanaian breakfast and baked foods. Ghanaian bread, which is known for its good quality in West Africa, is baked with wheat flour and sometimes cassava flour is added for an improved texture. There are four types of bread in Ghana. They are tea bread (similar to the baguette), sugar bread (which is a sweet bread), brown (whole wheat) bread, and butter bread.Back to Top
Most of the dishes mentioned above are served during lunch and supper in modern Ghana. However, it is not uncommon to find agrarian communities having these meals before farm work in the morning.
In large cities, working-class people would often take tea, cocoa, oats, rice porridge (locally called Rice Water), Kooko (fermented maize porridge) and Koose/Akara or Maasa (rice and maize meal fritters).
Other breakfast foods include Ekuegbemi (grits), Oblayo (maize porridge), Tombrown (roasted maize porridge), and Millet porridge the most popular foods are Jollof Rice and Fufu.
Bread is an important feature in Ghanaian breakfast and baked foods. Ghanaian bread, which is known for its good quality in West Africa, is baked with wheat flour and sometimes cassava flour is added for an improved texture. There are four types of bread in Ghana. They are tea bread (similar to the baguette), sugar bread (which is a sweet bread), brown (whole wheat) bread, and butter bread.Back to Top
Important Health Tip: Any vegetable oil is to be consumed raw or extra virgin. Cold pressed and fresh, never refined. They should not be used for cooking at all. For cooking, you should use only coconut oil, palm oil or butter fat. Shea Butter is also very recommended! Ask in Ghana for exactly that!
Food produced in Ghana is grown usually with far less chemicals, than in Western Europe, USA, South America.
Food produced in Ghana is grown usually with far less chemicals, than in Western Europe, USA, South America.
Most Ghanaian dishes are served with a often hot pepper stew or soup. Ghanaian stews and soups are quite sophisticated with liberal and adventurous use of exotic ingredients and a wide variety of flavors, spices and textures.
Spices such as thyme, garlic, ginger and bay leaf; vegetables such as wild mushroom, garden eggs (eggplant), tomatoes and various types of pulses; beef, pork, goat, sheep, chicken, smoked meat and fish; crab, shrimp, periwinkles, octopus; bush-meat, snails, and duck; offal, trotters and cow skin are all featured in Ghanaian cuisine.
Palm oil, coconut oil, shea butter, palm kernel oil and peanut oil are important local oils used for cooking and frying. In certain stews, palm oil is the preferred oil for preparing it. Classic examples are Okro stew or soup, Fante-Fante, Red Red, Egusi stew and Mpihu/Mpotompoto (similar to Poi).
SHITO (pack) - A hot pepper sauce, made out of palm or standard oil, onion, ginger, hot pepper, dry dry fish, fish cubes...
Tilapia, fried whitebait (Chinam), smoked fish and crayfish are all common components of Ghanaian dishes. The cornmeal based staples, Banku and Kenkey are usually accompanied by some form of fried fish or grilled Tilapia and a very spicy condiment made from raw red and green chilies, onions and tomatoes (hot pepper sauce). Banku and Tilapia is a combo served in most Ghanaian restaurants.
Gari soakings are also one of the Ghanaian staples that most can not live without. It entails Gari (dried, roasted Cassava), sugar, Groundnut (Peanut) and milk.
Other dishes include Ampesie (boiled yam and unripe plantain) which are usually accompanied with Kontomire, Groundnut (Peanut) soup, or Nyadowa (garden egg stew).
Spices such as thyme, garlic, ginger and bay leaf; vegetables such as wild mushroom, garden eggs (eggplant), tomatoes and various types of pulses; beef, pork, goat, sheep, chicken, smoked meat and fish; crab, shrimp, periwinkles, octopus; bush-meat, snails, and duck; offal, trotters and cow skin are all featured in Ghanaian cuisine.
Palm oil, coconut oil, shea butter, palm kernel oil and peanut oil are important local oils used for cooking and frying. In certain stews, palm oil is the preferred oil for preparing it. Classic examples are Okro stew or soup, Fante-Fante, Red Red, Egusi stew and Mpihu/Mpotompoto (similar to Poi).
SHITO (pack) - A hot pepper sauce, made out of palm or standard oil, onion, ginger, hot pepper, dry dry fish, fish cubes...
Tilapia, fried whitebait (Chinam), smoked fish and crayfish are all common components of Ghanaian dishes. The cornmeal based staples, Banku and Kenkey are usually accompanied by some form of fried fish or grilled Tilapia and a very spicy condiment made from raw red and green chilies, onions and tomatoes (hot pepper sauce). Banku and Tilapia is a combo served in most Ghanaian restaurants.
Gari soakings are also one of the Ghanaian staples that most can not live without. It entails Gari (dried, roasted Cassava), sugar, Groundnut (Peanut) and milk.
Other dishes include Ampesie (boiled yam and unripe plantain) which are usually accompanied with Kontomire, Groundnut (Peanut) soup, or Nyadowa (garden egg stew).
An alternative to the starch and stew combination is "Red Red", a popular and easy to find dish. It is a bean stew served with fried ripe plantain. It earns its name from the Palm Oil that tints the stew and the bright orange color of the fried Plantain.
Drinks in Ghana
As Ghana has an always mild warm climate evenings, why not sit outside at an open bar, or under coconut trees at a beach bar and enjoy a fresh cold sip of coconut milk straight from the coconut, or enjoy the local beers, such as Star, ABC, Guinness or Club. How about a glass of Palm Wine. For those who prefer something stronger, try Takai, an exquisite blend of chocolate and coffee flavors. If you are really brave, try the Alomo Bitters, a herbal alcoholic drink, made from carefully chosen tropical plant extracts. Well known in Ghana for its proven medicinal values. It is been said to promote the vitality, especially in men. |
FuFu with a Dry Fish Light Soup. A well-known dish and choice of many people! (smoked fish)
Food in Upper East & Upper West regions of Ghana: Kore, a staple food, is thick cornmeal mush eaten with soup made of green leaves and dried ground fish. (named in Upper East; Tiset, and prepared the same way)
A favourite (Upper West) Sissala meal is pounded yam, or Kapalla, which is like heavy mashed potato. As in most African culture It is an abomination to eat with your left hand. Most Kapalla goes with a tasty soup. Soups are made by boiling peanuts or a variety of green leaves. (Often used the green bitter leaves, which are known, to be very healthy!)
Food and Grink in Ghana are as well offered for sale at road sites (roast goats meat, Corn, baked Plantain, Yam chips , Kinkey, Bankou, oranges, tasty Pineapple.
Whatever you see on sale, it is freshly prepared. And therefore quiet save to consume!
As drink, bags of iced water or fresh Coconut milk. Most Ghanaians drink at a "Spot" (Open-Air Bar) usually walled by colored boards, Star, or Club Beer, Cola...
Whatever you see on sale, it is freshly prepared. And therefore quiet save to consume!
As drink, bags of iced water or fresh Coconut milk. Most Ghanaians drink at a "Spot" (Open-Air Bar) usually walled by colored boards, Star, or Club Beer, Cola...
Ask for food, cooked the traditional way! It`s not just healthier, but also far more tasty!
Coconut oil, palm kernel oil and Shea butter were used for frying most local fried foods. However, with the introduction of refined oils and negative media adverts targeted, at these local oils, their use have become less popular. They are mostly used in some traditional homes, especially in Northern Ghana. And for soap and cosmetic making. Commercial food vendors, to cut down cost on, using often the refined vegetable oils.
Common soups are groundnut soup, light (tomato) soup, Kontomire (taro leaves) soup, Palmnut soup, and okra soup. Tomato stew or gravy is a stew which is often served with rice. Other vegetable stews are made with kontomire, garden eggs, egusi (pumpkin seeds), spinach, okra, etc., mixed with any protein of one's choice.
Usually rice is served with a soup or stew, Kenkey is served with fried fish and hot pepper while Banku is usually served with okra stew or soup and occasionally with Tilapia. Fufu, Akple, and Konkonte are served with soup.
Coconut oil, palm kernel oil and Shea butter were used for frying most local fried foods. However, with the introduction of refined oils and negative media adverts targeted, at these local oils, their use have become less popular. They are mostly used in some traditional homes, especially in Northern Ghana. And for soap and cosmetic making. Commercial food vendors, to cut down cost on, using often the refined vegetable oils.
Common soups are groundnut soup, light (tomato) soup, Kontomire (taro leaves) soup, Palmnut soup, and okra soup. Tomato stew or gravy is a stew which is often served with rice. Other vegetable stews are made with kontomire, garden eggs, egusi (pumpkin seeds), spinach, okra, etc., mixed with any protein of one's choice.
Usually rice is served with a soup or stew, Kenkey is served with fried fish and hot pepper while Banku is usually served with okra stew or soup and occasionally with Tilapia. Fufu, Akple, and Konkonte are served with soup.
There are a lot of people of Lebanese, Chinese, and Indian extraction living in Ghana, and not surprisingly, there are a number of excellent restaurants in the Greater Accra Region.
There are literally thousands of local vendors and "chop bars" that serve Ghanaian dishes, and popular foreign cuisines include Italian, Lebanese, French, Chinese, Mexican, Indian, even German restaurants. (Captain Hook in Sekondi-Takoradi and in Accra)
A number of popular dishes practically exploded onto the scene in Ghana over the last decade. Particularly Pizza & burgers, which seem to be available from nearly every restaurant or "chop bars". However, both range from excellent to very average quality. Sometimes "Western Food" is sold quiet expensive. Make sure, that the food is cooked very well. Pizza and burgers - very important! Without doubt, the largest concentration of international restaurants are located within close proximity to Cantonments Road ('Oxford Street') in the Osu district, although you will see that other districts in Accra also have quality restaurants & eateries. There are also supermarkets, like Koala (Osu). Very expensive, but quality food and drink is being sold! Back to Top |
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