Boiled yam, plantain and cassava served plain alongside a rich cocoyam leaf and palm oil stew, a simple, everyday Ghanaian meal.
Ghanaian Ampesi with Kontomire Stew is a real, traditional Ghanaian dish, known as Boiled Yam and Plantain. Boiled yam, plantain and cassava served plain alongside a rich cocoyam leaf and palm oil stew, a simple, everyday Ghanaian meal.\n\nAmpesi, meaning simply 'boiled food', reflects a foundational style of Ghanaian home cooking where starchy staples are boiled plainly and paired with a flavorful stew, historically valued for its simplicity and adaptability to whatever protein or greens are available.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Ghanaian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 6
Boil the yam and plantain chunks in salted water until tender, about 25 minutes; drain.
Heat red palm oil in a separate pot and cook the onion until soft, about 8 minutes.
Add tomatoes and scotch bonnet, simmering for 15 minutes until thickened.
Stir in the chopped, softened kontomire or spinach, cooking down for 20 minutes until very tender.
Fold in the flaked smoked fish and season with salt.
Serve the boiled yam and plantain alongside the stew, allowing diners to dip or top the starches with the sauce.
Boil the yam and plantain in well-salted water — since they're served plain, this is the main opportunity to season them properly.
Cook the greens down thoroughly for a soft, deeply flavored stew rather than a crisp-tender one.
Choose a firm yam variety that holds its shape when boiled rather than falling apart into mush.
Serve with garden egg (African eggplant) stew instead of kontomire for a different traditional pairing.
Add diced avocado on the side for a creamy, modern addition.
Use cassava in place of yam for a different traditional ampesi base.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Ampesi, meaning simply 'boiled food', reflects a foundational style of Ghanaian home cooking where starchy staples are boiled plainly and paired with a flavorful stew, historically valued for its simplicity and adaptability to whatever protein or greens are available.
African or Caribbean grocery stores typically carry it; regular potatoes can be used in a pinch, though the flavor and texture differ significantly from true yam.
Yes, it reheats well; boil the yam and plantain fresh for the best texture when serving.
It was likely boiled too long, or was already very starchy — check for doneness a bit earlier and remove from heat as soon as a knife slides in easily.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 6 servings total
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