Ghanaian Waakye (Rice and Beans Cooked with Red Sorghum Leaves)
Fragrant grains expertly cooked with seasonal aromatics, fresh herbs, and rich stock for a satisfying, flavourful centerpiece.
Ingredients
- • 2 cups black-eyed peas or red kidney beans, soaked for 4 hours
- • 3 cups perfumed jasmine or long-grain rice
- • 6-8 dried red sorghum leaves (waakye leaves / stalk bundles)
- • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (or kanwa)
- • 7 cups water
- • 1 tsp salt
- • Fried plantains, boiled eggs, wele, and Shito pepper sauce, to serve
Preparation Steps
Rinse sorghum leaves thoroughly; bring 7 cups of water to a boil in a heavy pot with the sorghum leaves and bicarbonate of soda, allowing the water to turn a deep, vibrant burgundy-purple colour.
Add the soaked beans into the burgundy boiling water; cover and simmer for 30 minutes until beans are tender.
Discard the sorghum leaves with tongs, keeping the rich purple-tinted bean broth.
Stir in washed jasmine rice and salt, ensuring water level sits about 2cm above the rice and beans.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook on low heat for 25 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy with deep burgundy specks.
Fluff gently with a fork and serve hot with shito black pepper sauce, stewed wele, boiled eggs, and sweet fried plantains.