Ghanaian Red Red (Black-Eyed Pea Stew)

About This Recipe

Red Red gets its name from its vivid color — both the red palm oil and the tomato base contribute to the striking hue. This humble stew of black-eyed peas cooked with onion, tomatoes, scotch bonnet, and palm oil is paired with fried ripe plantains (kelewele or simply fried sweet), and together they form one of Ghana's most beloved everyday meals. It's cheap, nutritious, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupsdried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
• 1/3 cupred palm oil
• 2 largeripe tomatoes, blended
• 1 largeonion, chopped
• 2 piecesscotch bonnet peppers, blended with tomatoes
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 mediumvery ripe plantains, sliced
• oil for fryingthe plantains

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the beans

   Drain soaked beans and boil in fresh water for 40–50 minutes until tender. Don't salt yet.

2. 2

   Make the sauce

   Heat palm oil in a pot. Fry onion until soft. Add blended tomato and scotch bonnet. Cook for 15 minutes until the raw smell disappears.

3. 3

   Combine

   Add cooked beans to the tomato sauce. Add salt and a little of the bean cooking water. Simmer together for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Fry the plantains

   Fry plantain slices in hot oil until golden on both sides. Drain.

5. 5

   Serve

   Serve red red in a bowl alongside fried plantains.

Variations

• •

  Add salted fish (herrings) for extra depth

• •

  Make with kidney beans instead

• •

  Serve with rice instead of plantains

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate stew up to 5 days. Fry plantains fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions