Did Not Miss This!! Take A Look At These Top 8 Traditional Foods to Try While in Ghana

The way a group of individuals prepares their meals reveals a lot about them as a whole. The foods they use, the ways they prepare them, and the effort they put into feeding themselves go beyond mere nutrition; instead, their culinary prowess is a reflection of their varied worldviews, customs, and routines. As a result, consuming and experimenting with regional specialties offers a cultural education.

Konkonte

Traditional meal known as konkonte gained popularity during the famine of the 1980s. The dish was also known as "face the wall," which denotes that diners were embarrassed to eat it. It was produced using various Cassava varieties that were available during this crisis. Before making the food, the cassavas were mashed, giving the dish its brownish hue. At first, Konkonte was connected to lower-class residents of Northern Ghana. The renowned Konkonte dish is still served today with groundnut, palm nut, and okra soup in Ghana.

Banku and tilapia

When you see fish being grilled on the streets of Accra it is most likely to be tilapia, a delicacy among Ghanaians, who spice then grill the succulent freshwater fish. It complements banku, a Southern mix of fermented corn and cassava dough, and very hot pepper, diced tomatoes and onions. Banku is one of the main dishes of the people who live by the Ghanaian coast.

Kongtomire and Yam

Because yams are widely available in this area, the Akan region's population originally prepared yam and Kontomire dishes. Kontomire is a popular dish among Ghanaians and is typically served with poached yams. The Kontomire stew is frequently referred to as "palaver sauce." Cocoyam leaves and palm oil are used to make a regional sauce.

Red-red

Red-red is a filling traditional dish that consists of cowpea beans boiled to make a broth, served with palm oil and soft, 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’s served with – it can also be dished up with garri to make it even more hearty. Red-red is also a perfect choice for vegetarians as no animal products are used.

Fried fish and kenkey

Kenkey is a popular Ghanaian dish made from fermented white maize that is wrapped like a tamal in either corn pods or plantain leaves. Kenkey was first produced by the Ga people in Accra. Most often, fried fish and pepper sauce are served with kenkey.

Tuo Zaafi

Cooking corn bread with some cassava is how Tuo Zaafi is made. It is quite similar to banku, albeit softer and less sticky. It is a special traditional dish made with the rare herbs used to make the soup, including dawadawa and ayoyo leaves.

Jollof rice

Originally from Senegal, Jollof is a pot dish of rice prepared with tomato sauce and served with meat or fish that stirs up plenty of interesting debate online. The rice soaks up the juicy flavours and turns orange when cooking, and is a national favourite that can be found in most restaurants or dished out by street vendors at affordable prices.

Waakye

Waakye is another food that exhibits Ghanaians’ creative use of rice. The recipe is a medley of beans and rice and was originally a Northern dish, but it can now be found almost everywhere on the streets of Accra. Eating Waakye will open the door to a range of Ghanaian tastes and flavours as the main dish is served with other sides such as fried plantain, garri (grated cassava), spaghetti and avocado.