Ghanaian dishes you should never miss out while you are in Ghana

Food is a big part of the Ghanaian culture with so many foods eaten by different ethnic groups. There are so many delicious foods to be enjoyed in Ghana. As such, experiencing and experimenting with local traditional foods provides an education of the Ghanaian culture. If you are ever in Ghana, these are some of the delicious delicacies you can try out. 

Jollof rice

This dish of rice is prepared with tomato sauce and rice cooked together and can be served with meat or fish. The rice cooked together with the tomato sauce turns orange when cooking and is a national favourite eaten by many Ghanaians and can be found in most restaurants or dished out by street food vendors at affordable prices. 

Waakye

This  is another food made from rice and beans that Ghanaians love. The rice and beans are cooked together and served with other sides such as fried plantain, gari (grated cassava), spaghetti, tomato stew, shito (sauce made with dried fish and shrimps) and avocado. This dish is mostly eaten as breakfast and is delicious when eaten hot. 

Banku and tilapia

You can practically smell the grilled fish being grilled on the streets of Accra. The tilapia is spiced then grilled to perfection. It compliments  banku, a mix of fermented corn and cassava dough, and very hot pepper with. diced tomatoes and onions. Banku is one of the main dishes loved by Ghanaians and you can’t miss it when you visit Ghana. 

Fufu and Soup

This is one of the popular dishes recommended to any visitor to Ghana. This dish is mostly eaten by the people of Ashanti region and Eastern region of Ghana. Fufu is served with different types of soups like Palmnut soup and Light soup (made with garden eggs). If you are not a vegetarian, you can order for some goat meat, beef or fish to enjoy the full experience that comes with the food. Fufu is made by pounding a mixture of boiled cassava, yam and plantains into a soft sticky paste to go along with aromatic soup you choose to eat it with. 

Tuo Zaafi

Northern Ghanaians love their Tuo Zaafi which is prepared with grains like maize while the soup is prepared with healthy green leaves (dawadawa and ayoyo leaves) and  herbs and meat. The most eaten soup with Tuo Zaafi is the Ayooyo soup. Tuo Zaafi is similar to banku but has a different preparation method. Tuo Zaafi is loved by Ghanaians as it is nutritious and has a lot of health benefits. 

Kenkey and fried fish

Kenkey is also made from corn which is similar to banku but is made by moulding fermented corn dough into balls and wrapping them around dried corn leaves, which are then boiled. Banku is served with hot pepper sauce, fried fish, octopus or shrimps. This is a very spicy dish so prepare yourself for an eye watering experience. 

Boiled yam or plantain with stew

Another dish you should try when in Ghana is this delicious local Ghanaian food. It consists of boiled yam or plantain with kontomire stew (cocoyam leaves), garden eggs stew or the famous palava sauce (made with vegetables and agussi). You can enjoy this meal with koobi ( salted fish) or boiled eggs and some ripped avocado.