A hearty Ghanaian waakye recipe made with rice, black-eyed peas, and sorghum leaves for its signature earthy color and flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
• 2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
• 8 cups water
• 4 dried sorghum leaves or 1 tsp baking soda as substitute
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 bay leaf, optional

Preparation Steps

1. Rinse soaked beans and place them in a pot with 6 cups water and sorghum leaves.
2. Boil for 45 minutes until the beans are tender but not falling apart.
3. Remove sorghum leaves and add rinsed rice, salt, oil, bay leaf, and 2 cups water.
4. Stir once to combine. When to Mix: after adding the rice, mix only until rice and beans are evenly distributed.
5. Cover tightly and cook on low for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender.
6. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then fluff gently. Serve with stew, gari, spaghetti, boiled egg, or kelewele.

Serving Notes

Serve hot and adjust pepper, salt, and stock to your preferred taste. This recipe is designed for home cooks who want authentic West African flavor with clear timing cues.

Recipe Schema

{
  "Title": "Ghanaian Waakye Recipe with Rice, Beans, and Sorghum Leaves",
  "Prep Time": "15 minutes",
  "Cook Time": "1 hour 15 minutes",
  "Servings": "6",
  "Difficulty": "Medium",
  "Ingredients List": [
    "1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight",
    "2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed",
    "8 cups water",
    "4 dried sorghum leaves or 1 tsp baking soda as substitute",
    "1 tsp salt",
    "1 tbsp vegetable oil",
    "1 bay leaf, optional"
  ],
  "Preparation Steps": [
    "Rinse soaked beans and place them in a pot with 6 cups water and sorghum leaves.",
    "Boil for 45 minutes until the beans are tender but not falling apart.",
    "Remove sorghum leaves and add rinsed rice, salt, oil, bay leaf, and 2 cups water.",
    "Stir once to combine. When to Mix: after adding the rice, mix only until rice and beans are evenly distributed.",
    "Cover tightly and cook on low for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender.",
    "Let it rest for 10 minutes, then fluff gently. Serve with stew, gari, spaghetti, boiled egg, or kelewele."
  ]
}