Waakye stew is a mouthwatering Ghanaian dish that has gained popularity not only in West Africa but also across the globe. This delectable stew is traditionally served with waakye, a combination of rice and beans cooked together with sorghum leaves , resulting in a flavorful and vibrant meal. Whether you’re a fan of African cuisine or looking to explore new flavors, this blog post will guide you through a delicious waakye stew recipe that will leave you craving for more. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey to Ghana as we delve into the secrets of creating an irresistible waakye stew.
As a Nigerian you might find it weird that I am writing this blog post on Ghanian food but this is the first intro to my Nigerian tries Africa series. Food can tell you a lot about our culture and as an African I am still very curious about what other Africans enjoy. My ultimate dream is to embark for a full Africa adventure, trying food from all over Africa and cooking with the locals to deepen my understanding of our roots and share that experience with the world. I wish to call it “An African foodie’s world”… or something like that.
On today’s agenda I tried waakye stew with waakye and it was so delicious. it is very similar to Nigerian stew but the main difference are some of its unique spices and it lack of bell peppers. Still, this recipe is a mouth watering one and I can’t wait for you to try it.
Ingredients for waakye:
To create a truly authentic waakye stew, you’ll need:
- 1 lb of goat meat, tripe and cow skin (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 3 large onions
- 8 ripe tomatoes (blended into a smooth paste)
- olive oil to fry(or any oil of your choice)
- 7 cloves of garlic (minced)
- Ginger
- 2 scotch bonnet peppers
- 1 teaspoon of ground dried shrimp powder (optional, but adds depth of flavor)
- 1 teaspoon of ground dried fish (optional)
- 2.5 cups of tomato paste
- 3 Star anise
- 1 teaspoon of ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon of ground rosemary
- 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder(or beef bullion)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
How to make waakye stew
- Prepare the meat– In a large pot, add washed meat and then add chopped onions, garlic, ginger and scotch bonnets .
- Prep tomato base– In another pot, add blended tomatoes and let that boil for 30 minutes or until reduced.
- Separate stock and grill meat– Once meat is done cooking , separate just the goat meat and bake in the oven. Pour the stock in another bowl, wipe down the pot place on heat to dry up.
- Caramelize onions-in the empty pot, add enough olive oil to fry 2 large onions(sliced). Fry those onions till golden brown and take them out of the pot.
- Make ginger-garlic paste– blend caramelized onions with ginger and garlic to form a smooth and flavourful paste.
- Start the stew– In the oil, add 1 onion chopped and let it caramelize. Then add 2 cups of tomatoe paste and let it fry it it darkens. Then add your ginger- garlic paste and let it fry for 5 minutes.
- Add prepped Ingredients– Once fried, add your boiled tomatoes , meat stock, grilled meat and boiled eggs. You can add a little water if consistency is too thick.
- Season-Season with salt, black pepper, ground dried shrimp , ground fish powder, paprika, rosemary, cumin and seasoning cube. Stir to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Simmer and enhance– Cover the pot and let the stew simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together and the meat to become tender.
- Serve-Serve waakye stew with waakye and serve hot with shito and plantain on the side, if desired.
Conclusion
This incredibly delicious waakye stew will transport your taste buds to the vibrant streets of Ghana. The combination of aromatic spices, tender meat, and the unique waakye base creates a symphony of flavors that is hard to resist. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or simply craving a hearty and satisfying meal, this waakye stew recipe is sure to impress.
Embrace the flavors of West Africa and savour the cultural richness that waakye stew brings to the table. I am happy to experience this as a Nigerian. Gather your ingredients, follow the step-by-step instructions, and get ready to experience the authentic taste of Ghana. Enjoy the journey as you create this remarkable dish, and don’t forget to share it with friends and family.
P.s if you try this recipe at home, remember to tag me @nigerianfoodiehub on instagram, tiktok or Pinterest so that I get to see it and I add you to my cabinet of honourable foodies.
Try Nigerian recipes
Craving more bold spices and Nigerian favourites? Here are some tasty recipes for you to try out…
Waakye Stew
Equipment
- 2 pots
Ingredients
For meat
- 1 lb goat meat, tripe and cow skin or meat of choice
- 1 medium sized onion
- 1 pinky size ginger
- 2 scotch bonnets
- 4 garlic cloves
For Stew
- 4 onions
- 2.5 cups tomatoe paste
- 2 thumb size ginger
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 tomatoes
- 2 boiled eggs
- meat stock
Spices
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Dried coriander
- Dried cumin
- Seasoning powder
- Rosemary
- Bayleaf
- 2 Star anise for meat
- Fish powder for stew
- Shrimp powder for stew
Instructions
Prepare meat
- In a large pot, add washed meat and then add chopped onions, garlic, ginger and scotch bonnets .
- season with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, star anise, seasoning powder and rosemary (or any seasoning of your choice)
- Once meat is done cooking , separate just the goat meat and bake in the oven. Pour the stock in another bowl, wipe down the pot with paper towel,place on heat to dry up so that it can be used for stew.
Prepare stew
- Prep tomato base: In a pot, add blended tomatoes and let that boil for 30 minutes or until reduced
- In another empty pot, add enough olive oil to fry 2 large onions(sliced). Fry those onions till golden brown and take them out of the pot.
- blend caramelized onions with ginger and garlic to form a smooth and flavourful paste.
- In the oil, add 1 onion chopped and let it caramelize. Then add 2 cups of tomatoe paste and let it fry it it darkens. Then add your ginger- garlic paste and let it fry for 5 minutes.
- Once fried, add your boiled tomatoes , meat stock grilled meat and boiled eggs. You can add a little water if consistency is too thick.
- Season with salt, black pepper, ground dried shrimp , ground fish powder, paprika, rosemary, cumin and seasoning cube. Stir to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Cover the pot and let the stew simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together and the meat to become tender.
- Serve waakye stew with waakye and serve hot with shito and plantain on the side, if desired.
Notes
- For spicer stew you can add scotch bonnets to the tomatoe base
