What is Waakye?
Waakye, pronounced (Waachyé/ Waachay) is a rice and beans Ghanaian meal, commonly known as a staple breakfast/brunch dish. Waakye is popularly considered as a street food traditionally served hot in calabash tree leaves. The the usual type of beans used in waakye are black-eyed peas. Vital ingredients that distinguishes waakye from other rice and beans dishes; includes the use of dried millet stalk-leaves and bicarbonate of soda, which are cooked with the rice dish to allow the reddish-brown color of the waakye to form. Waakye is served with a variety of sides, ranging from: gari(dried cassava grains), tomatoe stew, shito (black pepper sauce), fried fish, stewed/fried beef or lamb, stewed wele (cow tail), spagetti(talia), boiled eggs, fried ripe plantain, avocado and salad. Individuals have the option of enjoying waakye with all the listed sides or a selected few.
Ingredients for 4-5 servings
1 ½ medium cups dried black eyed beans/ peas soaked overnight
2 ½ medium cups of Jasmine/fragranced rice
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
8-10 dried millet stalk leaves
1 teaspoon of salt
1 litre water
Preparation
- Soak the black-eye peas in water for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- To a heavy bottom pot, pour a liter of water and add the millet stalks leaves and bring to boil on a high heat for 10-15 minutes. Wait until the millet stalk leaves has made the color of the water burgundy red.
- Thoroughly rinse the presoaked black eyed beans and add to the boiling millet leaves water, along with the 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Allow the beans to cook until tender and fluffy. (Add 2-3 cups of water if the water drastically evaporates while the beans cook).
- Rinse the Jasmine/fragranced rice. Add the rice to the cooked beans and add salt for taste, (add extra water if need be).
- Stir and cover tightly.
- Allow all ingredients to cook together. Bring the rice and beans to a simmer at medium heat. Once the rice is properly cooked, turn off the heat and remove the millet leaves from the pot.
- Serve this splendid dish with tomatoes stew and any side of your choice.
Happy cooking!
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