Ghanaian · beginner
Ghanaian Red Red Black Eyed Pea Stew
A comforting Ghanaian favorite featuring creamy black-eyed peas stewed in red palm oil and aromatics, served alongside caramelized sweet plantains.
- PREP TIME
- 15 min
- COOK TIME
- 25 min
- SERVES
- 4
Good things
start in the kitchen.
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
Heat the red palm oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 minute until warm.
- 02
Add the chopped red onion, grated ginger, and minced Scotch bonnet pepper, cooking for 5 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- 03
Stir in the tomato paste and sauté for 2 minutes until darkened slightly.
- 04
Pour in the rinsed black-eyed peas and vegetable stock, stirring well to combine.
- 05
Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, mashing a few beans with the back of a spoon to thicken the sauce.
- 06
While the beans simmer, heat vegetable oil in a separate pan over medium-high heat and fry plantain slices for 3 minutes per side until golden brown, then serve together.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Simmer-Mashing
Mashing a portion of cooked beans directly into the sauce releases starches that naturally thicken the stew without added flour.
Notes from the kitchen
- Choose plantains with yellow skin heavily mottled with black spots for maximum natural sweetness.
- Red palm oil gives this dish its authentic color and signature nutty flavor; do not overheat it to prevent smoking.
- Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Ghanaian; regional versions vary.
- Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.