Ghana

Culinary Grace

Ghana occupies over 200,000 square kilometers of land and about 11,000 square kilometers of water. It’s divided into 16 regions and the population is around 30 million. Ghana is graced by two rainy seasons which makes an abundance of produce possible. Tomatoes are the main ingredients in Ghanaian food and most of their dishes revolve around a starchy staple food like cassava or plantain.

CHICKEN OKRA SOUP

Okra soups are the most popular soups in west Africa, especially Ghana, and can be served with numerous Ghanaian meals, including T.Z, Banku and Akple. The soup is normally slimy or slippery.

Ingredients

cups sliced okra cup water cup palm oil ounces seasoned chicken teaspoon dried red pepper onion bulbs garlic clove Salt to taste 3 1 1 2 1 2 1

Preparation

Get a sauce pan and cut your rinsed chicken into pieces in it. Season your chicken with ginger, garlic and seasoned salt. Boil seasoned chicken for 10 -15min at high temperature and now lower the heat and boil for another 15min and now turn off your fire Wash your okra (manna) then cut the head and tail off and cut into smaller parts. You can remove the seeds or leave them as they are. Cut the onions and add it to the chopped okra mixed together You will need a cup of palm oil, a teaspoon of red dried pepper or more depending on the quantity you prefer, now strain the liquid from the chicken pot and add it to the palm oil. You can decide to add a tin of tomato paste to make it thick or just leave it the way it is. Boil at medium heat for 5 minutes. Add a cup of water to the mixture and let it continue to boil at medium heat for another 5 minutes, then add your seasoned chicken to it.

Add the chopped okra and the onions to the mixture and let it simmer for 15 minutes. SERVINGS 4

TIME 20 MIN

METHOD SIMMER

DIFFICULTY EASY Hajia Ramatu Damba is the financial director of Global Almas Company Ltd. She is a Master’s degree holder, a philantrophist, and a politician. Her love for cooking made her travel to countries like Malaysia, India, Singspore, and the netherlands among others. She’s tried so many dishes from all these countries but she doesn’t only take from them, she also gives something in return. That’s why she always share her unique recipe for her traditional Ghanaian dish. She came to Saudi Arabia in 2017 with her husband, HE Sheikh Tahir Bimbali Damba, Ambassador of Ghana to Saudi Arabia.

BANKU (Stirred Fermented Corn Dough)

It’s a dish that is prepared with corn dough mixed up with cassava dough, normally being eaten with pepper and fish or it goes with okra soup/stew.

Ingredients

cup fermented corn dough cup cassava dough teaspoon salt cups water teaspoon salt 2.5 1 1.5 3 1

Preparation

Get a clean cooking pot with a good handle and mix the dough with 3 cups of water into a smooth paste. Heat the mixture on a gas stove until it boils at high temperature. Start stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir constantly to avoid lumps for about 5-10 minutes until it solidifies.