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Ghana

Ghana, in West Africa, was the first sub-Saharan nation to gain independence (1957), with Accra as its vibrant capital blending markets and skyscrapers. Known as the “Gold Coast” for its riches, it now exports cocoa, gold, and oil, while its music—highlife and hiplife—resonates globally. Historic forts like Elmina recall the slave trade, and Lake Volta anchors its geography. Ghana’s stable democracy and welcoming spirit make it a regional leader.

Ghana

Featured Dishes from Ghana

Ablemamu

Ablemamu

Roasted cornmeal porridge, serve with sugar and evaporated milk

Akara

Akara

Akara is a type of fritter made from cowpeas or beans (black-eyed peas) by the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Benin and Togo. It is also known as Bean cake. It is found throughout West African, Caribbean, and Brazilian cuisines. The dish is traditionally encountered in Brazil's northeastern state of Bahia, especially in the city of Salvador. Acarajé serves as both a religious offering to the gods in the Candomblé religion and as street food. The dish was brought by enslaved Yoruba citizens from West Africa, and can still be found in various forms in Nigeria, Benin and Togo. Akara is made from peeled beans (black-eyed peas), washed and ground with pepper, and other preferred seasonings, then beaten to aerate them, and deep-fried in small balls. Brazilian acarajé is made from raw and milled cowpeas that are seasoned with salt, pepper and chopped onions molded into the shape of a large scone and deep-fried in dendê with a wok-like pan in front of the customers. It is served split in half and stuffed with vatapá and caruru – spicy pastes made from shrimp, ground cashews, palm oil and other ingredients. A vegetarian version is typically served with hot peppers and green tomatoes. Acarajé can also come in a second form called abará, where the nutritious ingredients are steamed instead of deep-fried.

Baguette

Baguette

A baguette is a long, thin type of bread of French origin that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, not the shape, is defined by French law). It is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust. A baguette has a diameter of about 5 to 6 cm (2–2+1⁄2 in) and a usual length of about 65 cm (26 in), but can be up to 1 m (39 in) long.

Bofrot

Bofrot

Mandazi is a form of fried bread that originated on the Swahili coast. It is also known as bofrot or puff puff in Western African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria. It is one of the principal dishes in the cuisine of the Swahili people who inhabit the Coastal Region of Kenya and Tanzania. The dish is popular in the region, as it is convenient to make, can be eaten with almost any food or dips or just as a snack by itself, and can be saved and reheated for later consumption. Mandazi are similar to doughnuts, having more of a sweet taste which can be differentiated with the addition of different ingredients. However, they are typically less sweet than the United States style of doughnuts and are usually served without any glazing or frosting. They are frequently made triangular in shape (similar to samosas), but are also commonly shaped as circles or ovals. When cooked, they have a fluffy texture. Mandazi are made by briefly cooking the dough in cooking oil. The ingredients typically used to make mandazi include water, sugar, flour, yeast, and milk. Coconut milk is also commonly added for sweetness. When coconut milk is added, mandazi are commonly referred to as mahamri or mamri. Ground peanuts and almonds, among other ingredients, can also be used to add a different flavor. After being cooked, they can be eaten warm or left to cool down. They are popular in the African Great Lakes region, as they can be eaten in accompaniment with many things. They are commonly made in the morning or the night before, eaten with breakfast, then re-heated in the evening for dinner. Mandazi are also commonly eaten with tea or fresh fruit juice, or are eaten as snacks by themselves. Different dips, often fruit flavored, can be used to add various tastes. Mandazi can also be eaten as a dessert after a meal where it is often served with powdered or cinnamon sugar to add sweetness.

Bread

Bread

Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diets. It is one of the oldest human-made foods, having been of significance since the dawn of agriculture, and plays an essential role in both religious rituals and secular culture. Bread may be leavened by naturally occurring microbes (e.g. sourdough), chemicals (e.g. baking soda), industrially produced yeast, or high-pressure aeration, which creates the gas bubbles that fluff up bread. In many countries, commercial bread often contains additives to improve flavor, texture, color, shelf life, nutrition, and ease of production.

Brown bread

Brown bread

Brown bread is bread made with significant amounts of whole grain flours, usually wheat sometimes with corn and or rye flours. Brown breads often get their characteristic dark color from ingredients such as molasses or coffee. In Canada, Ireland and South Africa, it is whole wheat bread; in New England and the Maritimes, it is bread sweetened with molasses. In some regions of the US, brown bread is called wheat bread to complement white bread. Whole wheat flours that contain raw wheat germ, instead of toasted germ, have higher levels of glutathione, and thus result in lower loaf volumes. In Ireland, during the Famine, prior to 1848, brown bread was handed out to the poor. In England, brown bread was made from brown meal. Around and prior to the year 1845, brown meal was considered a less desirable grain product, and was priced accordingly. However, by 1865, due to recently discovered health benefits of bran, brown meal's London price had increased to a point often greater than that of fine flour.

Cocoa beverages

Cocoa beverages

Ghana offers a variety of cocoa beverages, including hot cocoa mixes made from natural cocoa powder and sugar, which are rich and flavorful. Additionally, there are unique drinks like Koa Natural, made from the pulp of cocoa pods, providing a refreshing and nutritious option.

Fruit

Fruit

In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering (see Fruit anatomy). Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propagated using the movements of humans and other animals in a symbiotic relationship that is the means for seed dispersal for the one group and nutrition for the other; humans, and many other animals, have become dependent on fruits as a source of food. Consequently, fruits account for a substantial fraction of the world's agricultural output, and some (such as the apple and the pomegranate) have acquired extensive cultural and symbolic meanings.

Gari foto

Gari foto

Grated and dried cassava cooked with vegetables, eggs, spices

Hausa koko

Hausa koko

Koko is a spicy millet porridge. It is a popular Nigerian Ghanaian Togolese street food and commonly consumed as a breakfast meal. It can also be taken in late afternoon as snack. Koko is made from many grains including millet with a few local spices added to give it a particular taste and color. It is called Hausa koko in areas where it was introduced by Hausa-speaking people. In northern Ghana, the term 'Hausa koko' is not used. Instead, porridge made from millet is called 'za koko' in Dagbanli. Several types of porridge are made from corn, millet, and sorghum. Other types of porridge include koko talli/salli, zimbuli, among others. It is also common in the various communities in both countries. It is usually accompanied by a fried bean bun called Koose, Pinkaso, a spicy fried flour dumpling, kuli-kuli or the Nigerian bean cake called Akara, which the former is created from . Hausa koko is mostly found in West African countries and is credited to the several ethnic groups, it is believed to have been first made by various peoples among whom millet is a dietary staple. It is a common Ghanaian street food. On most mornings, it is sold on street corners. Sugar, milk and groundnuts are sometimes added to give it a very delicious taste.

Maasa

Maasa

Pan-fried cakes made with fermented millet, cornmeal or rice

Oto

Oto

Mashed yams, commonly topped with hard boiled eggs, an Independence Day breakfast

Pinkaso

Pinkaso

Spicy and savory fritters or dumplings

Red red

Red red

Red red is a Ghanaian dish composed of black-eyed peas, cooked in palm oil or other vegetable oil with plantain. The dish derives its name from the red color it takes on from the red palm oil and the fried plantain. Red red typically consists of fish such as tinned mackerel or pilchards, black-eyed peas, Scotch bonnet peppers, onions, oil and tomatoes. It is commonly known in Ghana as "Yɔ kɛ Gari". Though often served with fish, red red can also be vegetarian. It can be served with fried plantain, avocado, and rice or garri for a complete meal.

Rice

Rice

Rice is a cereal grain and in its domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa —or, much less commonly, Oryza glaberrima (African rice). Asian rice was domesticated in China some 13,500 to 8,200 years ago; African rice was domesticated in Africa about 3,000 years ago. Rice has become commonplace in many cultures worldwide; in 2021, 787 million tons were produced, placing it fourth after sugarcane, maize, and wheat. Only some 8% of rice is traded internationally. China, India, and Indonesia are the largest consumers of rice. A substantial amount of the rice produced in developing nations is lost after harvest through factors such as poor transport and storage. Rice yields can be reduced by pests including insects, rodents, and birds, as well as by weeds, and by diseases such as rice blast. Traditional rice polycultures such as rice-duck farming, and modern integrated pest management seek to control damage from pests in a sustainable way. Many varieties of rice have been bred to improve crop quality and productivity. Biotechnology has created Green Revolution rice able to produce high yields when supplied with nitrogen fertiliser and managed intensively. Other products are rice able to express human proteins for medicinal use; flood-tolerant or deepwater rice; and drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant varieties. Rice is used as a model organism in biology.

Rice porridge

Rice porridge

Congee is a form of savoury rice porridge made by boiling rice in a large amount of water until the rice softens. Depending on rice–water ratio, the thickness of congee varies from a Western oatmeal porridge to a gruel. Since the history of rice cultivation in Asia stretches back to the Baiyue-inhabited lower Yangtze circa 10,000 BC, congee is unlikely to have appeared before that date. Congee is typically served with side dishes, or it can be topped with meat, fish, and pickled vegetables. Vivid experiences of eating or delivering thin congee as wartime or famine food often feature in diaries and chronicles. In some cultures, congee is eaten primarily as a breakfast food or late supper; some may also eat it as a substitute for rice at other meals. It is often considered suitable for the sick as a mild, easily digestible food.

Rice water

Rice water

Rice porridge, serve with evaporated milk and sugar

Sugar bread

Sugar bread

Sweet bread rolls

Tea

Tea

Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and northern Myanmar. Tea is also made, but rarely, from the leaves of Camellia taliensis. After plain water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world. There are many different types of tea; some have a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavour, while others have profiles that include sweet, nutty, floral, or grassy notes. Tea has a stimulating effect in humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the third century AD, in a medical text written by Chinese physician Hua Tuo. It was popularised as a recreational drink during the Chinese Tang dynasty, and tea drinking subsequently spread to other East Asian countries. Portuguese priests and merchants introduced it to Europe during the 16th century. During the 17th century, drinking tea became fashionable among the English, who started to plant tea on a large scale in British India.

Ugali

Ugali

Ugali, also known as posho, nsima, papa, pap, sadza, isitshwala, akume, amawe, ewokple, akple, and other names, is a type of corn meal made from maize or corn flour in several African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Botswana and South Africa, and in West Africa by the Ewes of Togo, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire. It is cooked in boiling water or milk until it reaches a stiff or firm dough-like consistency. In 2017, the dish was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, one of a few foods in the list. This dish is eaten widely across Africa, where it has different local names:

Waakye

Waakye

Waakye or Awaakye is a Ghanaian dish of cooked rice and beans, commonly eaten for breakfast or lunch. However, others eat it for supper. The rice and beans, usually black eyed peas or cow beans, are cooked together, along with red dried sorghum leaf sheaths or stalks and limestone. The sorghum leaves and limestone give the dish its characteristic flavor and a red appearance and the sorghum is taken out before consumption. The word waakye is from the Dagbani language, and refer to a particular type of beans. In Hausa, the bean and the dish are called wake, a contracted form of the full name shinkafa da wake which means rice and beans. Waakye is commonly sold by roadside vendors. It is then commonly wrapped in banana leaf and accompanied by one or more of Wele stew, boiled chicken eggs, garri, shito, vegetable salad of cabbage, onions and tomatoes, spaghetti (which is called talia in Ghana) or fried plantain. It is thought to have originated in northern Ghana among the Mole-Dagbon people. The dish is also common among Hausa settlers in the Zongo communities of southern Ghana. It may be the precursor of the rice and beans dishes commonly found in the Caribbean and South America, brought there through the slave trade.

Atadwe milk

Atadwe milk

Sweetened tigernut beverage

Ayigbe biscuit

Ayigbe biscuit

Ayigbe biscuit is a Ghanaian snack created by Yonunawo Kwami Edze from Agbozume in the Volta Region. The biscuit was manufactured by Yonunawo Kwami Edze from Agbozome in the Volta Region. Yonunawo Kwami Edze introduced the biscuit to the Agbozome community when she returned from the Ivory Coast as a baker in 1907. She was able to use the skills she learnt to make Ayigbe biscuits. Production of this snack lends itself to being economically viable, as Yonunawo Kwami Edze trained women on how to prepare the biscuit in order to make a living. Ingredients used in the preparation of Ayigbe biscuit:

Bofrot

Bofrot

Mandazi is a form of fried bread that originated on the Swahili coast. It is also known as bofrot or puff puff in Western African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria. It is one of the principal dishes in the cuisine of the Swahili people who inhabit the Coastal Region of Kenya and Tanzania. The dish is popular in the region, as it is convenient to make, can be eaten with almost any food or dips or just as a snack by itself, and can be saved and reheated for later consumption. Mandazi are similar to doughnuts, having more of a sweet taste which can be differentiated with the addition of different ingredients. However, they are typically less sweet than the United States style of doughnuts and are usually served without any glazing or frosting. They are frequently made triangular in shape (similar to samosas), but are also commonly shaped as circles or ovals. When cooked, they have a fluffy texture. Mandazi are made by briefly cooking the dough in cooking oil. The ingredients typically used to make mandazi include water, sugar, flour, yeast, and milk. Coconut milk is also commonly added for sweetness. When coconut milk is added, mandazi are commonly referred to as mahamri or mamri. Ground peanuts and almonds, among other ingredients, can also be used to add a different flavor. After being cooked, they can be eaten warm or left to cool down. They are popular in the African Great Lakes region, as they can be eaten in accompaniment with many things. They are commonly made in the morning or the night before, eaten with breakfast, then re-heated in the evening for dinner. Mandazi are also commonly eaten with tea or fresh fruit juice, or are eaten as snacks by themselves. Different dips, often fruit flavored, can be used to add various tastes. Mandazi can also be eaten as a dessert after a meal where it is often served with powdered or cinnamon sugar to add sweetness.

Chin chin

Chin chin

Chin chin is a fried snack from Nigeria . It is known as atchomon in Togo and Benin, achomo in Ghana, and croquette or chin chin in Cameroon. It is similar to the Scandinavian snack klenat, a crunchy, donut-like baked or fried dough of wheat flour. Chin chin may contain cowpeas. Many people bake it with ground nutmeg for added flavor. The dough is usually kneaded and cut into small one-inch squares, about a quarter of an inch thick, before frying.

Fan milk

Fan milk

Fan Milk is a Ghana based manufacturer and retailer of ice cream and frozen dairy products, In July 2019, Danone, previously a joint shareholder with The Abraaj Group, increased its stake to 100% and thus assumed complete ownership of the company. Fan Milk Limited is a Ghanaian dairy retailer based in Accra that's listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange and the GSE All-Share Index. Since its inception in 1960 the company has commenced operations in Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso. Previously known as the Ghanaian Milk Company, they ascertained Danish investment in the early 1960s and initially specialized in pasteurised milk. However, in 1962, the company changed its name to Fan Milk Limited and branched out into the production of ice cream, yoghurt, ice lollies and other frozen dairy products. Fan Milk Limited was the first foreign-invested company in Ghana to become a Public Limited Liability in 1967 and among the first companies to be listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange on 18 October 1991 with the symbol FML. As of 2003, it had over 3,250 shareholders.

Ginger toffee

Ginger toffee

Hand-pulled toffee flavored with ginger

Ice kenkey

Ice kenkey

Ice kenkey is a popular Ghanaian dessert made from kenkey, a steamed dumpling made from fermented cornmeal. It is often sold as a street food in Ghana. Kenkey is produced by steeping grains of maize in water for about two days, before they are then milled and kneaded into a dough. The dough is allowed to ferment for a few days, before part of the dough is cooked and then mixed with uncooked dough. Ice kenkey is produced by breaking kenkey into pieces, milling it, and then mixed with water, sugar, powdered milk, and ice. Some producers use roasted groundnuts instead of milk. Ice kenkey sold by street food vendors in Ghana is prone to E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus contamination due to manual operations and poor hygienic practices in the production process, as well as a lack of pasteurization. Municipal authorities have implemented an ice kenkey production training manual and created task forces to ensure food safety.

Kelewele

Kelewele

Heavily spiced and fried overripe plantains

Kube cake

Kube cake

Chewy coconut candy, ball-shaped coconut snacks

Nkate cake

Nkate cake

Peanut brittle, peanut toffee

Plantain pudding

Plantain pudding

Sweet plantain pudding

Rock cake

Rock cake

A rock cake, also called a rock bun, is a small cake with a rough surface resembling a rock. They were promoted by the British Ministry of Food during the Second World War since they require fewer eggs and less sugar than ordinary cakes, an important savings in a time of strict rationing. Traditional recipes bulked them with oatmeal, which was more readily available than white flour. Mrs Beeton's widely known 1861 recipe book includes two early recipes for rock cakes. One calls for flour, butter, 'moist sugar', lemon, milk, and baking powder. The other recipe more closely resembles shortbread, as it uses flour, butter, and currants but no leavening agent. A typical modern recipe for 12 cakes requires about 8 oz of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 4 oz (110 g) of butter or margarine, 2 oz (55 g) of sugar, 4 oz (110 g) of dried fruit such as raisins, candied orange peel, etc., 2 oz (55g) of currants, 1 beaten egg, 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk and a pinch of nutmeg and mixed spices. Usually, flour and butter are first mixed until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs; then the other ingredients are added to create a stiff dough, which is dropped from a spoon to a baking tray or roughly formed with two forks. The cakes (optionally sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon) are baked for about 15 minutes at 180°C (350°F; Regulo 4), retaining an uneven form and contour.

Strawberry fool

Strawberry fool

A fool is an English dessert. Traditionally, fruit fool is made by folding puréed stewed fruit into sweet custard. Modern fool recipes often use whipped cream instead of custard. Additionally, a flavouring such as rose water may be added. The reason the word "fool" is used for this fruit dessert is unclear. Several authors believe it derives from the French verb fouler meaning "to crush" or "to press" (in the context of pressing grapes for wine). Food writer Alan Davidson argues that it is 'reasonable to suppose that the idea of mashed fruit was there from the start' but also points out that Norfolk fool, a type of bread pudding, contained no fruit. This derivation is dismissed by the Oxford English Dictionary as baseless and inconsistent with the early use of the word. The name trifle was also originally applied to the dish, with the two names being used, for a time, interchangeably. In the late 16th century, a trifle was 'a dish composed of cream boiled with various ingredients'. Davidson suggests that this is 'also the description one could give of a fool'. In support for this theory, Davidson quotes John Florio from his dictionary of 1598: 'a kinde of clouted cream called a fool or a trifle'. 'Foole' is first mentioned as a dessert in 1598, a 'kinde of clouted cream called a fool or a trifle', although gooseberry fool may date back to the 15th century. One early recipe for gooseberry fool dates to the mid-17th century. The soft fruits used in fools in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were often boiled and pulped before being mixed with the cream. It was considered the most 'prudent' way to eat fruit at the time as there was a fear that raw fruit was unhealthy. Fruit fools and creams, argues food historian C. Anne Wilson, 'succeeded the medieval fruit pottages. They were based on the pulp of cooked fruits beaten together with cream and sugar. Gooseberries, and later orange juice combined with beaten eggs, were made up into fools.' The cream in earlier fools was often unwhipped. The process of whipping cream before forks were adopted in the late 17th century was long and difficult. The eggs used in many earlier fool recipes became less common, and now most fools are made without them.

Sweet bad

Sweet bad

A doughnut is a type of pastry made from leavened fried dough.: 275 It is popular in many countries and is prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty vendors. Doughnut is the traditional spelling, while donut is the simplified version; the terms are used interchangeably. Doughnuts are usually deep fried from a flour dough, but other types of batters can also be used. Various toppings and flavors are used for different types, such as sugar, chocolate or maple glazing. Doughnuts may also include water, leavening, eggs, milk, sugar, oil, shortening, and natural or artificial flavors.

Akpeteshie

Akpeteshie

Akpeteshie is a liquor produced by distilling palm wine or sugar cane, primarily in the region of Western Africa. It is the national spirit of Ghana. In Nigeria it is known as Ògógóró , a Yoruba word, usually distilled locally from fermented Raffia palm tree juice, where it is known as the country's homebrew. Today, there is a misconception that Ogogoro can be pure ethanol, but traditionally, it had to come from the palm tree and then be distilled from this source. It is popular throughout West Africa, and goes by many names including apio, ogoglo, ogogoro (Ogog'), VC10, Kill Me Quick, Efie Nipa, Kele, Kumepreko, Anferewoase, Apiatiti, Home Boy, Nana Drobo, One Touch among others. It is also known as sapele water, kparaga, kai-kai, Sun gbalaja, egun inu igo meaning The Masquerade in the Bottle, push-me-push-you, and/or crim-kena, sonsé ("do you do it?" in Yoruba language). In the Igbo language it is known as Akpuru achia. Other Nigerian epithets include: Udi Ogagan, Agbagba Urhobo, as well OHMS (Our Home Made Stuff), Iced Water, Push Me, I Push You and Craze man in the bottle. Ghanaian moonshine is referred to as akpeteshie. Before the advent of European colonization of what is today Ghana, the Anlo brewed a local spirit also known as "kpótomenui," meaning "something hidden in a coconut mat fence."

Asaana

Asaana

Asaana is a non-alcoholic, caramelized corn drink made from fermented corn and caramelized sugar. It originated from the Volta Region of Ghana. It is also referred to as Elewonyo in other parts of Ghana and known in many countries as corn beer drink.

Ataya

Black or green tea, served three times per sitting

Bell Lager

Bell Lager

Brukina

Brukina, also known as burkina, is a Senegalese and Ivorian drink made of ground millet and pasteurized milk. Brukina is popular in the northern region of Ghana. It is also known as 'Deger'. Brukina is considered to be a complete meal due to its energy density and high nutrient content. It consists mainly of millet, which is one of the world's oldest grains, and milk.

Club

Club

Cocoa beverages

Cocoa beverages

Ghana offers a variety of cocoa beverages, including hot cocoa mixes made from natural cocoa powder and sugar, which are rich and flavorful. Additionally, there are unique drinks like Koa Natural, made from the pulp of cocoa pods, providing a refreshing and nutritious option.

Coconut milk

Coconut milk

Coconut milk is an opaque, milky-white liquid extracted from the grated pulp of mature coconuts. The opacity and rich taste of coconut milk are due to its high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Coconut milk is a traditional food ingredient used in Southeast Asia, Oceania, South Asia, and East Africa. It is also used for cooking in the Caribbean, Central America, northern parts of South America and West Africa, where coconuts were introduced during the colonial era. Coconut milk is differentiated into subtypes based on fat content. They can be generalized into coconut cream with the highest amount of fat; coconut milk (or thin coconut milk) with a maximum of around 20% fat; and coconut skim milk with negligible amounts of fat. This terminology is not always followed in commercial coconut milk sold in Western countries.

Fruit juice

Fruit juice

Juice is a drink made from the extraction or pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat or seafood, such as clam juice. Juice is commonly consumed as a beverage or used as an ingredient or flavoring in foods or other beverages, such as smoothies. Juice emerged as a popular beverage choice after the development of pasteurization methods enabled its preservation without using fermentation . The largest fruit juice consumers are New Zealand (nearly a cup, or 8 ounces, each day) and Colombia (more than three quarters of a cup each day). Fruit juice consumption on average increases with a country's income level.

Ginger beer

Ginger beer

Traditional ginger beer is a sweetened and carbonated, usually non-alcoholic beverage. Historically it was produced by the natural fermentation of prepared ginger spice, yeast and sugar. Modern ginger beers are often manufactured rather than brewed, frequently with flavour and colour additives, with artificial carbonation. Ginger ales are not brewed.

Ginger drink

Ginger drink

Guder

Guder

Ice kenkey

Ice kenkey

Ice kenkey is a popular Ghanaian dessert made from kenkey, a steamed dumpling made from fermented cornmeal. It is often sold as a street food in Ghana. Kenkey is produced by steeping grains of maize in water for about two days, before they are then milled and kneaded into a dough. The dough is allowed to ferment for a few days, before part of the dough is cooked and then mixed with uncooked dough. Ice kenkey is produced by breaking kenkey into pieces, milling it, and then mixed with water, sugar, powdered milk, and ice. Some producers use roasted groundnuts instead of milk. Ice kenkey sold by street food vendors in Ghana is prone to E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus contamination due to manual operations and poor hygienic practices in the production process, as well as a lack of pasteurization. Municipal authorities have implemented an ice kenkey production training manual and created task forces to ensure food safety.

Lamugin

Lamugin

Lamougin is a local non-alcoholic drink that is mainly made with ginger and rice. It is very popular in the northern part of Ghana and some parts of southern Ghana. It is also known as 'Hausa beer'. It's suitable for all occasions and time.

Long black

Long black

A long black is a style of coffee commonly found in Australia and New Zealand, made by pouring a single shot of espresso into hot water. It is similar to an americano, in which hot water is poured into one shot of espresso. Typically about 100–120 millilitres (3.5–4 ounces) of water is used but the measurement is considered to be flexible to individual taste. The smaller volume of water compared to an Americano is responsible for its stronger taste. Both retain the crema when brewed properly, though in the long black the crema will be more pronounced.

Milo

Milo

Milo is a chocolate-flavoured malted powder product produced by Nestlé, typically mixed with milk, hot water, or both, to produce a beverage. It was originally developed in Australia by Thomas Mayne (1901–1995) in 1934. Most commonly sold as a powder in a green can, often depicting various sporting activities like badminton or football, Milo is available as a premixed beverage in some countries and has been subsequently developed into a snack bar, breakfast cereal and protein granola. Its composition and taste differ from country to country.

Palm wine

Palm wine

Palm wine, known by several local names, is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm trees such as the palmyra, date palms, and coconut palms. It is known by various names in different regions and is common in various parts of Africa, the Caribbean, South America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Micronesia. The word "toddy" traces back to the Proto-Dravidian root "tāẓ- ," which means palmyra/toddy palm and gave rise to forms like "tāḍi" or "tāṭi" in Telugu, Gondi, and Kolami-Gadba; "tāri" or "tāḷi" in Kannada and Tulu. The Sanskrit word "tāḍi," which refers to an extract from palm trees, is a loanword from Dravidian. Palm wine production by smallholders and individual farmers may promote conservation as palm trees become a source of regular household income that may economically be worth more than the value of timber sold.[better source needed]

Pito

Pito

Pitoo

Pitoo

Sobolo

Sobolo

Star

Toose

Toose

Toasted millet and rice flour mashed in water

Zoomkoom

Zoomkoom

Zoomkoom is a fermented beverage from Burkina Faso and Northern Ghana with a sweet taste. "Zoom" means flour and “koom” means water in the Mooré language. It is also known as "Zonkuon" in the Dagara language, where "zon" means flour and "kuon" means water, similar to that of the Mooré language. There are varieties of zoomkoom, the traditional and modernized one. The traditional beverage is brown in color and the modernized has a white appearance because millet is used in place of guinea corn and without shea butter. Peeled tamarinds are soaked in water, and then boiled and sugar is added. Millet flour, chilli pepper and ginger are then added, and the mixture is stirred to a smooth consistency. The drink is served cold.

Ablemamu

Ablemamu

Roasted cornmeal porridge, serve with sugar and evaporated milk

Ablo

Ablo

Banku may refer to,

African eggplant

African eggplant

Solanum macrocarpon otherwise known as the African eggplant (Igbo language/ Igbo): añara), Surinamese eggplant (Sranang Tongo: Antroewa / Antruwa) or Vietnamese eggplant (Vietnamese: cà pháo, fire-cracker eggplant) is a plant of the family Solanaceae. S. macrocarpon is a tropical perennial plant that is closely related to the eggplant. S. macrocarpon originated from West Africa, but is now widely distributed in Central and East Africa. The plant also grows in the Caribbean, South America, and some parts of Southeast Asia. S. macrocarpon is widely cultivated for its use as a food, its medicinal purposes, and as an ornamental plant. Solanum macrocarpon can grow to a height of 1-1.5 m. It has an alternate leaf pattern with the blade width of 4–15 cm and a height of 10–30 cm. The shapes of the leaves are oval and lobed with a wavy margin. Both sides of the leaves are hairy with stellate or simple hairs. Prickles may or may not be present on the leaves depending on the cultivar. When prickles are present they are found more along the midrib and lateral veins. The prickles are straight and can grow up to a length of 13 mm. The flowers have a diameter of 3–8 cm and are located on short stalked inflorescence that can contain 2 to 7 flowers. The lower portion of the plant carries bisexual flowers while the upper portion contains male flowers. The flowers are 2-3.5 cm in length and usually have a purple or pale purple color, on rare occasions there are white flowers.

Akotonshi

Akotonshi

Akpan

Akpan

Akpan, also known as akassa, is a fermented maize yogurt. A product of Togolese and Beninese cuisine, it is considered a dessert. Akpan is made by fermenting maize kernels or powder. The fermented maize is then bagged together with condensed milk and iced to create a sweet dessert. Some sources describe the dish as vegetable yogurt. The dessert is popular in Benin and Togo. In Benin, the dish is referred to as Akassa. It has a small consumer base in France.

Angwa mo

Angwa mo

Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. Fried rice is a popular component of East Asian, Southeast Asian and certain South Asian cuisines, as well as a staple national dish of Indonesia. As a homemade dish, fried rice is typically made with ingredients left over from other dishes, leading to countless variations. Fried rice first developed during the Sui dynasty in China. Many varieties of fried rice have their own specific list of ingredients. In China, common varieties include Yangzhou fried rice and Hokkien fried rice. Japanese chāhan is considered a Japanese Chinese dish, having derived from Chinese fried rice dishes. In Southeast Asia, similarly constructed Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean nasi goreng and Thai khao phat are popular dishes. In the West, most restaurants catering to vegetarians have invented their own varieties of fried rice, including egg fried rice. Fried rice is also seen on the menus of non-Asian countries’ restaurants offering cuisines with no native tradition of the dish. Additionally, the cuisine of some Latin American countries includes variations on fried rice, including Ecuadorian chaulafan, Peruvian arroz chaufa, Cuban arroz frito, and Puerto Rican arroz mamposteao. Fried rice is a common street food in Asia and other parts of the world. In some Asian countries, small restaurants, street vendors and traveling hawkers specialise in serving fried rice. In Indonesian cities it is common to find fried rice street vendors stationing their food carts in busy streets or residential areas. Many Southeast Asian street food stands offer fried rice with a selection of optional garnishes and side dishes.

Aprapransa

Aprapransa

Aprapransa, originally called 'Akplijii ' is a Ghanaian GaDangme (or Ga) dish prepared by heat mixing (or blending) roasted corn flour with a sacred GaDangme soup called Palm Nut Soup. Palm Nut Soup is an important base ingredient in the preparation of Akplijii, which is an ancient sacred soup of the GaDangme people and is always prepared as a complement to another sacred corn flour meal called Kpokpoi (or Kpekpele) during an Ancient Religious Hebraic Harvest Festival called Homowo. The GaDangme people brought these practices along with them to Ancient Ghana and taught all the tribes how to prepare Palm Nut Soup. Outside Ghana, other tribes in Nigeria such as the Yorubas, Igbos have a variation of palm nut soup called Banga Soup. Over the course of time, the knowledge of the preparation of Palm Nut Soup in Ghana became common and it lost it sacred status. The GaDangme people have from ancient time to present day, used the palm tree in a number of sacred ways; namely, to prepare Palm Nut Soup, the burning of the dry figs as incense for spiritual cleansing, and to ward-off evil spirits, to build new houses every year made up of new palm tree branches.

Avocado with smoked fish

Avocado with smoked fish

Ayoyou soup

Ayoyou soup

Stewed ayoyo leaves (junte, ewedu), serve with tuo zaafi

Beans and plantains

Beans and plantains

Bean and plantain pottage

Braised chicken with chili peppers

Braised chicken with chili peppers

Spicy stewed chicken

Chichinga

Chichinga

Grilled kebabs (beef, liver, chicken, goat) with a tankora (yaji) spice rub

Chicken gizzard

Chicken gizzard

The gizzard, also referred to as the ventriculus, gastric mill, and gigerium, is an organ found in the digestive tract of some animals, including archosaurs , earthworms, some gastropods, some fish, and some crustaceans. This specialized stomach constructed of thick muscular walls is used for grinding up food, often aided by particles of stone or grit. In certain insects and molluscs, the gizzard features chitinous plates or teeth. The word gizzard comes from the Middle English giser, which derives from a similar word in Old French gésier, which itself evolved from the Latin gigeria, meaning giblets. Birds swallow food and store it in their crop if necessary. Then the food passes into their glandular stomach, also called the proventriculus, which is also sometimes referred to as the true stomach. This is the secretory part of the stomach. Then the food passes into the gizzard (also known as the muscular stomach or ventriculus). The gizzard can grind the food with previously swallowed grit and pass it back to the true stomach, and vice versa. In layman's terms, the gizzard 'chews' the food for the bird because it does not have teeth to chew food the way humans and other mammals do.

Chicken stew

Chicken stew

Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, dumplings, or grains such as rice and barley. Chicken soup is commonly considered a comfort food. Humans were already boiling food by the time that chicken was domesticated in the neolithic period, so it is likely that chickens were being boiled for soup.

Domedo

Domedo

Marinated and roasted pork, serve with yams, kenkey and shito

Egusi

Egusi

Egusi sauce or egusi soup, prepared with egusi seeds as a primary ingredient. Egusi seeds are the fat- and protein-rich seeds of certain cucurbitaceous plants. Egusi sauce is common and prevalent across Central Africa as mbíka, and may be served atop rice, cooked vegetables, or grilled meat, such as goat, chicken, beef, or fish. It may also be served atop fufu, omelettes, amala, and eba, among other foods. Egusi soup is also consumed in West Africa, sometimes with chicken. Egusi sauce is prepared by grinding egusi seeds, from which a paste is created. There are two methods of preparing egusi soup: 1. Frying method: Egusi paste is fried in palm oil before adding other ingredients.

Fante fante

Fante fante

Fish stewed with a sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, spices, palm oil

Fried chicken

Fried chicken

Fried chicken, also called Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior of the chicken while retaining juices in the meat. Broiler chickens are most commonly used. The first dish known to have been deep fried was fritters, which were popular in the European Middle Ages. However, the Scottish were the first to have been recorded as deep frying their chicken in fat with breadcrumbs and seasonings, as evidenced by a recipe in a 1747 cookbook by Hannah Glasse and a 1773 diary entry describing fried chicken on the Isle of Skye. The first known recipe in the US did not contain the seasonings that were in the earlier Scottish recipe. There is an English cookbook from 1736 which mentions fried chicken, the “Dictionarium Domesticum”, by Nathan Bailey, where it is called “a marinade of chickens”. Meanwhile, in later years many West African peoples had traditions of seasoned fried chicken .

Fried fish

Fried fish

Fried fish is any fish or shellfish that has been prepared by frying. Often, the fish is covered in batter, egg and breadcrumbs, flour, or herbs and spices before being fried and served, often with a slice of lemon. Fish is fried in many parts of the world, and fried fish is an important food in many cuisines. For many cultures, fried fish is historically derived from pescado frito, and the traditional fish and chips dish of England which it may have inspired. The latter remains a staple take-out dish of the UK and its former and present colonies. Fried fishcakes made of cod are widely available in the frozen food sections of U.S. grocery stores. Long John Silver's, Skippers, Captain D's, and Arthur Treacher's are well-known North American chain restaurants that serve fried fish as their main food offering. Catfish are also a prevalent farm-raised type of fish that is often served fried throughout the world. A classic fried fish recipe from France is sole meunière. Community fish fries are popular in the southern region of the United States. These social gatherings may center around a church, a civic organization or serve as a fundraiser for a club, volunteer fire department, a school or other organization. In the U.S., especially the Upper Midwest, the New England states, and the Mid-Atlantic states, community fish fries are somewhat popular, sometimes held in church basements or lots in observation of Lent. A fish fry is generally informal. A "shore lunch" is a tradition in the northern U.S. and Canada, where outdoor enthusiasts cook their catch on the shores of the ocean, or lake where the fish was caught.

Fried shrimp

Fried shrimp

Shrimp or prawn dishes are often prepared by frying, especially deep frying. There are several styles. Popcorn shrimp is the name of several small shrimp fritters. Cajun popcorn is a similar dish of peeled crayfish-tail fritters rich of spices, where shrimps could also be used as a substitute for crayfish.

Fufu

Fufu

Fufu is a pounded meal found in West African cuisine. It is a Twi word that originates from the Akans in Ghana. The word has been expanded to include several variations of the pounded meal found in other African countries including Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Angola and Gabon. It also includes variations in the Greater Antilles and Central America, where African culinary influence is high. Although the original ingredients for fufu are boiled cassava, plantains, and cocoyam, it is also made in different ways in other West African countries. In Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Liberia, they use the method of separately mixing and pounding equal portions of boiled cassava with green plantain or cocoyam, or by mixing cassava/plantains or cocoyam flour with water and stirring it on a stove. Its thickness is then adjusted to personal preference, and it is eaten with broth-like soups. In Nigeria, fufu (akpu) is made solely from fermented cassava giving it its unique thickness compared to that found in other West African countries. It is eaten with a variety of soups with vegetables and lots of beef and fish. In recent years other flours, such as semolina, maize flour, or mashed plantains, may take the place of cassava flour. This is common for those in the diaspora or families that live in urban cities. Families in rural areas with access to farmland still maintain the original recipe of using cassava. Fufu is traditionally eaten with the fingers, and a small ball of it can be dipped into an accompanying soup or sauce. Before the Portuguese traders introduced cassava to Africa from Brazil in the 16th century, fufu was mainly made from cocoyam, plantain, and yams. The traditional method of eating fufu is to pinch some of the fufu off in one's right-hand fingers and form it into an easily ingested round ball. The ball is then dipped in the soup before being eaten.

Garden egg stew

Garden egg stew

Stewed African eggplant

Gari foto

Gari foto

Grated and dried cassava cooked with vegetables, eggs, spices

Garri

Garri

In West Africa, garri // ⓘ is the flour of the fresh starchy cassava root. In the Hausa language, garri can also refer to the flour of guinea corn, maize, rice, yam, plantain and millet.[citation needed] For example, garin dawa is processed from guinea corn, garin masara and garin alkama originate from maize and wheat respectively, while garin magani is a powdery medicine. Starchy flours mixed with cold or boiled water form a major part of the diet in Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Guinea, Cameroon and Liberia.[citation needed]

Gombo

Gombo

Okra , Abelmoschus esculentus, known in some English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, is a flowering plant in the mallow family native to East Africa. Cultivated in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions around the world for its edible green seed pods, okra is featured in the cuisines of many countries. The species is a perennial, often cultivated as an annual in temperate climates, often growing to around 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall. As a member of the Malvaceae, it is related to such species as cotton, cocoa, and hibiscus. The leaves are 10–20 centimetres (4–8 in) long and broad, palmately lobed with 5–7 lobes. The flowers are 4–8 cm (1+5⁄8–3+1⁄8 in) in diameter, with five white to yellow petals, often with a red or purple spot at the base. The pollen grains are spherical and approximately 188 microns in diameter. The fruit is a capsule up to 18 cm (7 in) long with pentagonal cross-section, containing numerous seeds.

Gravy

Gravy

Stewed tomatoes, onions and chili peppers, may also include meat, serve with rice and kenkey

Groundnut soup

Groundnut soup

Peanut stew or groundnut stew, also known as maafe , sauce d'arachide (French) or tigadèguèna is a stew that is a staple food in Western Africa. While maafe is a dish from Senegal, tigadéguéna originates from the Mandinka and Bambara people of Mali. The proper name for it in the Mandinka language is domodah or tigadegena (lit. 'peanut butter sauce,' where tige is 'peanut,' dege is 'paste,' and na is 'sauce') in Bamanankan. Domodah is a sauce also used by Gambians, whose name has been borrowed from the Mandinka language. In Senegal domodah or domoda refers to flour-thickened soup or stew, which is different from maafe that uses peanut paste. Senegalese maafe is a favorite dish among several Senegalese and Gambian ethnic groups; it has become the national dish in Mali as well as a popular dish across West Africa, even outside West Africa such as in Cameroon and France.

Indomie

Indomie

Indomie is an instant noodle brand produced by the Indonesian company Indofood, the largest instant noodle manufacturer in the world with 16 factories. Over 28 billion packets of Indomie are produced annually,[citation needed] and exported to more than 90 countries. Indomie has been produced mainly in Indonesia since it was first introduced in June 1972; it has also been produced in Nigeria since 1995, and Turkey since 2010. Since its introduction in the region in the 1980s, Indomie has become increasingly popular in African countries. Indomie's name is derived from "Indo" for "Indonesia" and "mie", an older spelling of the Indonesian word for "noodles", "mi".

Jollof rice

Jollof rice

Jollof , or jollof rice, is a rice dish from West Africa. The dish is typically made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, chilis, onions, spices, and sometimes other vegetables and/or meat in a single pot, although its ingredients and preparation methods vary across different regions. The dish's origins are traced to Senegal. Regional variations are a source of competition among the countries of West Africa, and in particular between Nigeria and Ghana, over whose version is the best; in the 2010s this developed into a friendly rivalry known as the "Jollof Wars".

Kenkey

Kenkey

Kenkey is a staple swallow food similar to sourdough dumplings from the Ga and Fante-inhabited regions of West Africa, usually served with pepper crudaiola and fried fish, soup or stew. Kenkey is produced by steeping grains of maize in water for about one week, before they are then milled and kneaded with water into a dough. The dough is allowed to ferment for four days to a week before part of the dough is cooked. Areas where kenkey is eaten include Ghana, eastern Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and western Benin. It is usually made from ground corn (maize), like sadza and ugali. It is popularly known as kɔmi (pronounced kormi) by the Gas or dokono by the Akans in Ghana.

Kokonte soup

Kokonte soup

Cassava dumpling soup with meat, fish, peanuts

Kyenam

Kyenam

Fried fish, red snapper, tilapia

Kyinkyinga

Kyinkyinga

Light soup

Light soup

Light Soup is a local indigenous soup of the Akan people of Ghana. Originally formulated as a 'Tomatoes-Base Sea Fish Light Soup' called 'Nkra Nkra ' for fishermen at the coast of Accra, but over the course of time it evolved into a soup prepared with both 'fish and goat-meat', or 'fish and lamb-meat', or 'fish and beef', or 'exclusively the meat of the livestock of choice', and of which the GaDangmes (or Gas) call 'Toolo Wonu', but their neighbouring 'Akans' call 'Aponkye Nkrakra'. The delicious local indigenous 'Light Soup' of the GaDangme(or Ga) people paved the way for the formulation of GaDangme (or Ga) MEALS such as: (1) 'Komi Ke Aklo (or Aklor), Garnished With Cooked Blended Okro', (2) 'Banku Ke Aklo(or Aklor), Garnished With Cooked Blended Okro', (3) 'Yele(Chops of Boiled-Yam) Ke Aklo(or Aklor)', (4) etc., and similar meals of the 'Toolo Wonu' version, and to name a few: (1) 'Yele (Chops of Boiled-Yam) Ke Toolo Wonu', (2) 'Atomo (Chops of Boiled-Potatoes) Ke Toolo Wonu', (3) etc. It can be served with Fufu, Banku, kokonte, boiled rice or yam. Boiled okro can be added to it. The ingredients include tomatoes, tomato paste, chili peppers, onion, salt, ginger, garden eggs, and dry or salted fish and/or meat.

Meat pie

Meat pie

A meat pie is a pie with a filling of meat and often other savory ingredients. They are found in cuisines worldwide. Meat pies are usually baked, fried, or deep-fried to brown them and develop the flavour through the Maillard reaction. Many varieties have a flaky crust due to the incorporation of butter to develop a flaky texture when baking. The origins of the meat pie have been traced back to the Neolithic period, around 6000 BC. Versions of what are now known as pies were featured on ancient Egyptian tomb walls, and in ancient Greek and Roman texts.

Mpoto mpoto

Mpoto mpoto

Mpoto Mpoto is a Ghanaian cuisine made from cocoyam or yam. It is also known as Yam Pottage and Asaro by Nigerians. It is made from several ingredients including fish and onion.

Nkatenkwan

Nkatenkwan

Groundnut stew (peanut stew)

Okro stew

Okro stew

Oto

Oto

Mashed yams, commonly topped with hard boiled eggs, an Independence Day breakfast

Palava sauce

Palava sauce

Palaver sauce or palava sauce or plasas is a type of stew widely eaten in West Africa, including Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone The word palaver comes from the Portuguese language and means a talk, lengthy debate or quarrel. It is unclear how this led to the name of the stew. One theory is that the spices used in the stew mingle together like raised voices in an argument. It has been thought of as having the power to calm tensions, or to cause them. Other names for the dish include kontonmire, kentumere, nkontommire and pla'sas. It has regional variations and can contain beef, fish, shrimp, pepitas, cassava, taro leaves, and palm oil. It is served with boiled rice, potatoes, garri, fufu or yams. Outside of Africa, spinach is often used as a substitute for other greens. The leaves used to make this soup in Liberia are called molokhia or mulukhiyah leaves. The name "palava sauce" is said to originate from the people of Elmina.

Palm nut soup

Palm nut soup

Palm nut soup or banga is a soup made from palm fruit common in the Cameroonian, Ghanaian, Nigerian, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ivorian communities. The soup is made from a palm cream or palm nut base with stewed marinated meats, smoked dried fish, and aromatics. It is often eaten with starch, fufu, omotuo, banku, fonio, or rice. The use of the palm fruit in cooking is significant in Ivorian, Cameronian, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Liberian and other West and Central African cuisine. Mbanga soup is a palm fruit soup in Cameroonian cuisine and West African cuisine. It is often served with kwacoco. The soup is Cameroon's version of the West African banga, a palm fruit soup eaten in areas including parts of Nigeria. In Cameroon mbanga is made using fresh palm nuts. Outside the area canned nuts can be used. Banga is a type of palm fruit soup from Southern Nigeria, particularly the Urhobo ethnic group. This cuisine is quite different from ofe akwu, a variant found in Igbo culture. The Binis have a soup from palm fruits similar to ofe akwu in ingredients and manner of preparation. The Urhobo people’s palm nut soup is called ame adi.

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