Waakye
Ingredients
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- 8 leaves waakye (dried sorghum leaves) – rinsed
- 14 cups water – divided
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup dried black-eyed peas – rinsed, picked over
- 2 cups long-grain rice – rinsed until water runs clear
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
1. Rinse the waakye leaves, pick over and rinse the black-eyed peas, and rinse the rice until the water runs clear; set each aside.
2. In a large heavy pot, bring 10 cups of the water to a boil over high heat with the baking soda. Add the waakye leaves and boil until the liquid turns a deep reddish-brown, 10–15 minutes.
3. Add the black-eyed peas to the pot, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook until the beans are just tender but not falling apart, 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Beans should crush easily between fingers but remain intact.
4. Remove and discard the waakye leaves with tongs. Stir in the salt until dissolved and taste the broth; it should be well seasoned.
5. Add the rice and the remaining 4 cups water. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 20–25 minutes. Grains should be plump and the beans fully soft.
6. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff gently from the edges toward the center.
7. Serve warm. Waakye is commonly paired with shito, gari, boiled eggs, spaghetti (talia), salad, fried fish or meat, and stews alongside, according to preference.
Waakye is a beloved Ghanaian rice-and-beans dish known for its earthy flavor, gentle nuttiness, and distinctive reddish-brown hue. The color and subtle tannic notes come from waakye leaves—dried sorghum or millet leaf sheaths—simmered with an alkaline aid to extract their pigments. Tender black-eyed peas mingle with fluffy long-grain rice, yielding a hearty, gently seasoned base that welcomes a range of savory accompaniments.
Traditionally sold as a street-side breakfast and lunch, waakye is deeply woven into Ghana’s food culture from the north to the coast. The dish is thought to have links to Hausa culinary traditions and spread widely through urban markets and chop bars. Over time, a customary plate has grown up around it—shito (black pepper sauce), gari, talia (spaghetti), salads, boiled eggs, and fried fish or beef—turning the simple rice-and-beans core into a complete, customizable meal.