Blog Action Day 2011 - How to prepare "#Waakye"

#BAD11 @blogactionday11

So folks are blogging with respect to Blog Action Day and the theme is food. How perfect! I am such a foodian, I love to eat. I am especially carnivorous too. But above all, I really love my Ghanaian food, especially waakye. I have used three levels of especially to introduce waakye so you can tell how special Waakye is to me. In my estimation, it's the best food in the whole wide world. It doesn't matter that if it's not gotten to Afghanistan or the North Pole yet, it's the best. You know why? Because it sells out faster than any other meal in the world. Ask a Ghanaian or a waakye lover and they will tell you.

So in honour of Blog Action Day about food - I want to help spread waakye all around the globe. Thanks to the great folks at Nududu.com and Fienipa.com, I am giving you three ways in which you can make waakye. Thank me later and say "na gode" while you are at it for introducing you to "waakye and kyinkaafa".


All 3 versions use the same basic ingredients: rice, salt, black-eyed peas, water, oil, onion, baking soda, with a couple of variations.

METHODS
1) Waakye in a rice cooker
For this version put into a rice cooker: a 15.5 oz can of black-eyed peas, drained and lightly rinsed (this is about 1 and 1/2 cups), a cup of white rice (wash first if necessary), 1/2 to 1 of teaspoon baking soda (a full teaspoon will make it a little darker), a half teaspoon of salt (or to taste), a tablespoon of vegetable oil (like peanut or canola), a half cup of chopped onion, and 2 cups of water. Stir, cover, and cook. That's all there is to it! It cooks in about 30 minutes without burning.

2) Every day waakye
Rinse and pick over a cup of black-eyed peas, then soak them for about 4 hours covered with water (or, if you're in a rush like I always seem to be, just bring them to a boil in a saucepan, let them boil for a couple of minutes, sit for an hour, drain off the water and add 2 1/2 fresh cups of water to the sauce pan, along with a teaspoon of baking soda, a cup of rice, the 1/2 cup chopped onion, a tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat to simmer and let it cook, covered, until the rice and beans are cooked. Watch out that it doesn't burn. It may need a little more water and stirring while it cooks.

3) Special Waakye
Rinse well and pick over a cup of black-eyed peas, then put them into a saucepan with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda, bring it to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the cup of rice, teaspoon of salt, 1/2 cup chopped onion, and either another cup of water or a cup of coconut milk. In place of the vegetable oil, use a couple of tablespoons of coconut cream (from the top of a can of unsweetened coconut milk), and a sprinkling of a spice of your choice (e.g., thyme, oregano). Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook, covered, until the rice and beans are tender, about half an hour. Check a few times to make sure it is not burning, and add more water if necessary.

Notes
3 different versions of waakye (pronounced "waatchy") the classic rice and "beans" dish from Northern Ghana:
1) a quick and easy version to make in an electric rice cooker,
2) an "every day" version, and
3) one that's a little fancier.
Culled from Fienipa.com via Betumi Blog

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