Red Red Ghanaian stew
Red Red Ghanaian Stew– a hearty stew made with cowpeas cooked in a tomato-based sauce and served with boiled rice and plantains.
Red Red stew is a traditional Ghanaian West African dish. Cowpeas (also known as black-eyed peas), a base of red palm oil and tomato paste, and a variety of other ingredients such as onions, garlic, red pepper, and spices are key ingredients. The ingredients are combined in a pot, and the stew is typically served with plantains and garnished with fermented, dried, and ground cassava.
While the origins of red red Ghanaian stew are unknown, it is thought to have been developed by the Akan people and has since become a staple dish in Ghana and the rest of West Africa.
The ingredients in red red Ghanaian stew vary by region, and the amount of spice used can range from mild to extremely hot.
The name “red red” refers to the colour of the stew, which is deep red due to the use of red palm oil and tomatoes, as well as the fact that it is spicy.
How to Make red red Ghanaian stew
To start making Red Red Ghanaian Stew, soak the beans for a few hours or overnight. This allows the beans to soften and double in size, making them easier to cook. Cook the cowpeas until they are tender but still have some bite to them.
To start making Red Red Stew, soak the beans for a few hours or overnight. This allows the beans to soften and double in size, making them easier to cook. Cook the cowpeas until they are tender but still have some bite to them.
Prepare your vegetables while you wait for the beans to cook. Dice the onions, mince the garlic, and julienne the ginger. After that, dice the peppers, scotch bonnets, and tomatoes. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion. When the garlic and ginger are softened, add the chillies or scotch bonnets, tomatoes, and tomato paste or puree.
Finally, add the boiled cowpeas and reduce the heat to low while constantly stirring. Allow the stew to simmer until it reaches the desired consistency. This hearty stew can be served with rice, plantains, or simply on its own!
To serve, spoon plenty of the savoury red stew over hot, cooked rice and garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Boiled plantains or roasted sweet potatoes are both options. This hearty one-pot meal is ideal for weeknights when time is limited.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cowpeas: also known as black-eyed peas. They are the main ingredients for this recipe. Cowpeas are a great source of protein.
- Oil: I used olive oil but you can also use palm oil to give the stew a deep red colour and flavour.
- Peppers: Use red peppers to enhance the red colour. You can also add yellow or green peppers.
- Onions: Use fresh white onions to add a savoury note, you can also use red onions for a mild sweet onion flavour.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for a strong flavour and aroma. You can also add garlic powder if you’d like a more intense garlicky flavour.
- Tomato purée: Use two tablespoons to add colour and bold flavour.
- Tomatoes: I used canned peeled tomatoes to add texture and sweetness to the stew. You can also use fresh tomatoes.
- Chilles: Use a Scotch bonnet to add heat to the stew. You can substitute other green or red chillies, or leave them out entirely for milder heat.
- Seasonings: Use smoked paprika, chilli powder, or any other spices you prefer like cumin and coriander powder.
- Plantains: Bake or fry plantains in a skillet to serve with stew. This is optional.
- Boiled rice – this is also optional.
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There you have it: red red ghanaian stew – a great meal for any time of day. It can be served as a hearty breakfast or a filling dinner. It can also be enjoyed as leftovers, making it a great meal to prepare in bulk. As you can see, this stew is also incredibly easy to make, is gluten-free, and makes the perfect vegan comfort meal. You can enjoy it mild or spicy; you can make it just the way you like it.
Red Red Ghanaian Stew
Equipment
- Ninja foodie
- large pot or skillet
Ingredients
- 2 cups black-eyed peas dried
- 1 litre water
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion large, (diced)
- 1 tsp ginger fresh, grated
- 1 scotch bonnet finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 canned tomatoes
Instructions
- Soak the dried cowpea beans overnight in cold water. Drain the soaked beans and rinse them under running water.
- Place the beans in a Ninja Foodie and pressure cook for 25 minutes. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, place the beans in a pot and cover with two inches of cold water. Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer for about 1-2 hours or until soft and tender.
- In a medium pot, sauté the onions and garlic over medium-high-medium heat until they are translucent. Then add chilli powder, paprika, and tomato purée, and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add beans and vegetable stock in water, and tomatoes and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir the stew occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Taste the stew and adjust the seasonings if needed. Then add the diced peppers and cook the stew for another 10 minutes, removing it from the heat once the vegetables are fully cooked. Serve hot with steamed rice or plantains, and enjoy!
- To cook plantains: In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil, then add the sliced plantains in batches so they crisp up without crowding the pan. Each batch should be cooked for 2 minutes on each side or cooked until the plantains are golden brown. Before serving, transfer the fried plantains to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the oil. Enjoy!
