Ghanaian
Waakye
Waakye is Ghana’s beloved rice-and-beans dish, stained a deep reddish brown by dried sorghum leaves and cooked until fluffy and fragrant. Serve it the Accra way with stew, shito, gari, spaghetti, and boiled egg.
Watch it madeSweet Adjeley · 7:38
Ingredients
- Dried black-eyed peas or cowpeas1/2 cup
- Long-grain white rice1 cup
- Dried waakye leaves or sorghum leaves4 small pieces
- Kanwa or potash1 pea-sized piece, optional
- Water4 cups, plus more as needed
- Salt1 tsp, or to taste
- Cooked spaghetti1 cup
- Ghanaian tomato stew1/2 cup
- Shito2 tbsp
- Gari1/4 cup
- Hard-boiled eggs2
Method
- Pick through the beans, rinse well, and soak them in plenty of water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Rinse the waakye leaves to remove dust, then place them in a pot with 4 cups of water and boil for 10 minutes until the water turns a deep reddish brown.
- Drain the soaked beans and add them to the coloured water with the optional kanwa, then simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until the beans are just tender but not falling apart.
- Remove and discard the waakye leaves, then rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear.
- Add the rice and salt to the pot, stirring gently so the rice and beans are evenly mixed.
- Check that the cooking liquid sits about 1 cm above the rice; add a little hot water if needed.
- Cover the pot tightly and cook on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let the waakye rest, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing gently with a fork or wooden spoon.
- Serve the waakye with cooked spaghetti, tomato stew, shito, a sprinkle of gari, and one hard-boiled egg per plate.
Common questions
Can I substitute black-eyed peas or cowpeas with another bean for waakye?
Yes, but the closest swap is another small, quick-cooking bean like brown beans. Kidney beans or chickpeas will work in a pinch, but they cook differently and won’t give the same soft, fluffy waakye texture.
How long does waakye take from start to finish?
Plan for about 5 to 12 hours total if you soak the beans, but active cooking is usually 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes. Soaking shortens the bean cooking time and helps the grains cook evenly.
What are the most common mistakes when cooking waakye?
The biggest mistakes are under-soaking the beans, adding too much water, stirring too hard after adding the rice, and cooking on high heat. These can leave the beans hard, the rice mushy, or the bottom scorched.
How should I store leftover waakye?
Cool it quickly, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of water on the stove or in the microwave, covered, so the rice softens without drying out.
What are the best ways to serve waakye?
Serve waakye with Ghanaian tomato stew, shito, gari, sliced boiled eggs, and cooked spaghetti on the side. A little salad or avocado also works well. Add sauces gradually, because the dish is meant to be eaten with bold toppings.