Ghanaian Red Red
Creamy black-eyed peas simmered in a tomato and red palm oil stew with ginger, chile, and fried plantains.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Chef's knife
- Colander
Ingredients
Bean stew
- 1 1/2 cups dried black-eyed peas rinsed and soaked if desired
- 6 cups water for cooking beans
- 3 tbsp red palm oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz can
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 red chili finely chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
Plantains and garnish
- 3 ripe plantains sliced diagonally
- 2 tbsp neutral oil for frying
- 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
Instructions
Cook the beans:
- Place the black-eyed peas and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
- Season the beans lightly with salt and set aside.
Make the red red:
- Heat the palm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, and chili.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Simmer for 12 minutes until thickened.
- Fold in the cooked beans and enough reserved cooking liquid to make a thick stew. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Fry the plantains:
- Heat the neutral oil in a skillet. Fry the plantain slices in batches until golden on both sides, then drain briefly.
- Serve the red red with fried plantains and sliced red onion.
Notes
- Red palm oil gives the dish its signature color and flavor; use a mild palm oil if available.
- For a faster version, use two drained cans of black-eyed peas.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 18gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 690mgFiber: 15gSugar: 20g