Waakye

• Dried black-eyed peas 300g (about 1 2/3 cups)

  Soaked overnight, then boiled with the leaves. Substitute: Dried cowpeas, or red kidney beans.

  How to choose: Plump, unblemished peas with no holes or dust; cowpeas are the usual Ghanaian choice.

  How to prepare: Pick over, rinse, and soak overnight in cold water; drain before cooking.

  Required
• Long-grain white rice 400g (about 2 cups)

  Rinsed and added once the beans soften. Substitute: Jasmine rice.

  How to choose: Dry, whole grains with no broken bits.

  How to prepare: Rinse in several changes of water and drain.

  Required
• Dried sorghum leaves 30g (about 6 sheaths)

  Removed before serving; they colour the rice. Substitute: Dried millet leaves.

  How to choose: Dry, deep-red sheaths sold in African food shops.

  How to prepare: Rinse and tie into a bundle so they lift out easily.

  Required
• Food-grade limestone (kaun) 5g (about 1 tsp)

  Traditional; softens the beans and deepens the colour. Substitute: 1/2 tsp baking soda.

  How to choose: Buy food-grade kaun from an African grocery; never use industrial limestone.

  How to prepare: Dissolve in a little water before adding.

  Optional
• Salt 5g (3/4 tsp)

  Add gradually, to taste.

  How to choose: Fine, dry salt.

  How to prepare: Measure and set aside.

  Required
• Water 1500ml (6 cups)

  For boiling the beans and cooking the rice.

  How to choose: Clean water.

  How to prepare: Measure and keep ready.

  Required
• Eggs 6 large (300g)

  Boiled, peeled and halved.

  How to choose: Clean shells with no cracks.

  How to prepare: Boil for 10 minutes, cool in cold water, peel and halve.

  Required
• Ripe plantains 2 (480g)

  Peeled and sliced, then fried golden. Substitute: Very ripe bananas, fried.

  How to choose: Yellow with black spots — ripe enough to be sweet, firm enough to slice.

  How to prepare: Peel and slice diagonally, about 1 cm thick.

  Required
• Vegetable oil 30ml (2 tbsp)

  For frying the plantain; about half is absorbed. Substitute: Groundnut oil.

  How to choose: Clear oil with no rancid smell.

  How to prepare: Measure and set aside.

  Required
• Dried spaghetti 150g (about 5 oz)

  Cooked; yields about 360g. Substitute: Talia, the thin spaghetti sold in Ghana.

  How to choose: Dry, unbroken strands.

  How to prepare: Cook in salted water until tender, drain, and toss with a little oil.

  Required
• Shito 90g (6 tbsp)

  Dark Ghanaian chilli and dried-fish sauce. Substitute: Chilli oil with a pinch of sugar.

  How to choose: A thick, dark sauce with a smoky smell; sold in African food shops.

  How to prepare: Measure and set aside.

  Required

Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)

info Good waakye is evenly reddish-brown, each grain separate, with beans soft all the way through — never pale, hard or sticky.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

1. 1

   Boil the Peas with the Sorghum Leaves

   30 Mins Rolling boil, 100°C (212°F)

   Put the drained peas in a large pot with the sorghum-leaf bundle, the dissolved kaun and 1200ml (5 cups) of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until the peas are almost soft and the water has turned a deep reddish-brown.

   Do not add salt yet — salt added too early keeps the beans firm.

   Done when: The peas are almost soft when pressed, and the water is deep red.

2. 2

   Add the Rice and Simmer

   30 Mins Low heat, ~90°C (194°F)

   Lift out the sorghum leaves. Stir in the rinsed rice, the salt and the remaining 300ml (1 1/4 cups) of water. Cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 30 minutes, without lifting the lid or stirring, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed.

   If the rice is still hard after 30 minutes, sprinkle in 60ml (1/4 cup) of hot water and steam 5 minutes more.

   Done when: The rice and beans are tender, evenly reddish-brown, and the pot is dry.

3. 3

   Cook the Accompaniments

   10 Mins Boil 100°C (212°F); fry at medium heat, ~170°C (338°F)

   While the rice simmers, boil the eggs for 10 minutes, cool, peel and halve them. Fry the plantain slices in the oil until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes. Cook the spaghetti in salted water until tender, drain, and toss with a little oil so it does not stick.

   Fry the plantain last, so it is still hot when the plate is built.

   Done when: The eggs are firm, the plantain is golden, and the spaghetti is tender.

4. 4

   Rest the Pot

   5 Mins Serve hot, ~70°C (158°F)

   Take the pot off the heat and rest it, still covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the waakye gently with a fork so the beans and rice mix evenly.

   Fluff with a fork, not a spoon, so the beans do not crush.

   Done when: The waakye is fluffy, evenly red, and steams gently.

5. 5

   Build the Plate

   5 Mins Serve hot, ~70°C (158°F)

   Scoop a mound of waakye onto a wide plate or a broad leaf. Lay the spaghetti over the top, add a spoonful of shito, then the halved egg and the fried plantain at the side. Serve immediately, while everything is hot.

   The classic order is rice first, then spaghetti, then shito, then the rest — the shito melts into the hot rice.

   Done when: The plate is piled high, red-brown rice under golden plantain and a halved egg.

vital_signs Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: B vitamins, iron, magnesium and potassium (black-eyed peas), vitamin C (plantain), vitamin B12 and vitamin D (egg).

restaurant Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

warning Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

• General adultsA filling, satisfying lunch — rice and beans with egg, plantain and shito in every bite.
• ChildrenSuitable from age 2+ with the shito left out; the rice and beans are soft and easy to eat.
• ElderlyVery suitable — soft rice and beans with no hard pieces; keep the shito mild.
• Pregnant womenGenerally suitable; the beans add iron and the egg adds protein. Keep the shito moderate.
• Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable; a generous, energy-rich lunch — eat a full serving with the egg and plantain.
• AthletesA good pre-training meal: rice and bean carbs for glycogen, eaten 2–3 hours before exercise, with the egg for protein.
• Weight gainA good choice — take a generous plate with an extra egg and more plantain.
• Weight lossKeep the rice and beans portion to about a cup and load the plate with the salad instead — the plate itself is energy-dense.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

• DiabetesThe rice and beans are the main source of carbs — keep the portion to about a cup and load the plate with salad. Ask your clinician about portion size.
• High blood pressureMost of the sodium comes from the salt and the shito; use half the shito and season lightly. Ask your clinician about a suitable portion.
• Kidney diseaseKeep the portion modest and use less shito; ask your clinician about frequency.
• GoutWaakye itself is low in purines; the egg and shito matter more — keep the egg to one and the shito modest.
• Stomach issuesUsually gentle, but shito and chilli can irritate a sensitive stomach — leave the shito out and keep the plate mild.
• Cardiovascular diseaseA reasonable choice in a modest portion; the fried plantain adds fat, so balance the rest of the day with lighter food.
• Fatty liverKeep the rice and beans portion modest and favour the salad and egg over extra plantain.
• Food allergiesContains egg and wheat (spaghetti); shito usually contains dried fish and sometimes shrimp — check the label if you have fish or shellfish allergies.
• Special therapeutic dietsIf you follow a prescribed low-sodium diet, use no added salt and skip the shito, and check with your clinician.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

kitchen Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store

Cool completely, then pack the rice and beans into airtight containers; store the sides separately.

In the fridge

Waakye 3 days, in the fridge; plantain and egg 1 day.

In the freezer

Waakye 2 months, in portions.

How to reheat

Reheat in a pan with a splash of water, or microwave, until heated through to 74°C (165°F) inside.

Freezing recommended

Yes — the rice and beans freeze well up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.

Signs it has spoiled

Sour smell, slimy beans, or mould on the surface.