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Waakye
Put the beans and sorghum leaves in a large pot with 1 litre of water. Bring to a boil and cook until the beans are tender but not splitting, 40 to 50 minutes. The water will turn dark red.
Tip: Old beans take longer. Start checking at 35 minutes.
Questions about this dish
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Waakye take?
1 hr 20 min all in — 10 min prep, 1 hr 10 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
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What equipment do I need?
Stockpot.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1½ tsp.
What can I use instead?
Sorghum leaves → Half a teaspoon of baking soda. Gives the brown colour without the faint hay note. Most Ghanaian cooks abroad do this.
What should I watch for?
Do not stir while it steams or the beans mash into the rice.
Any tips from this recipe?
Dried sorghum leaves are sold as waakye leaves in Ghanaian and West African shops and online. A sachet lasts for months. The spaghetti on a waakye plate is not a joke. Plain boiled, a small tangle, tossed in a little of the stew.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.