Nutrition
Kelewele
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• Kelewele
Kelewele is a Ghanaian dish which consists of deep-fried plantain chunks that are usually combined with salt, ginger, and hot peppers.
It is served as an accomplishment to beans stew or rice dishes, although kelewele is also often sold by numerous
African street vendors as dessert.
Some cooks add in peanuts, cloves, nutmeg, or cinnamon to the mix to give kelewele flavour.
Ingredients
• 4 riped plantains
• 2 large onions
• 1 teaspoonful of cayenne or chili pepper
• 1 tablespoonful of grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoonful of nutmeg (optional)
• Salt to taste
– 1 Maggi cube (optional)
Directions
• Peel the riped plantains (You can cut both ends off the plantain. This will make it easy to remove the skin of the plantains)
• Cut plantains in diagonal pieces or medium chunks. Set it aside.
• Blend onions, ginger, garlic and chili pepper in blender or food processor. Add water to the ingredients (Make sure to obtain a thicker consistent mixture)
• Pour blended mixture in a bowl and add grated nutmeg, salt and cube. Set aside
• In a large bowl, mix the plantain pieces and the blended mixture together.
• Let it rest for about 10 to 20 minutes to absorb the flavour.
• Heat up a large pan with oil for deep frying under medium-high heat until hot.
• -Fry the plantain pieces, until golden brown. (Do not overcrowd the pan, it will cause the plantains to be soggy and absorb excess oil)
• Remove and transfer the fried plantains onto a sieve or tissue paper for drainage of oil.
• -Serve warm with groundnuts or cooked rice.
• It is mostly served with groundnuts or beans stew. While others prefer it as a dessert, it can also be served with plain rice, jollof rice and waakye as an appetizer.
When we talk about nutrition in Ghana, the conversation often focuses on individual choices: eat more vegetables, reduce sugar and salt, drink more water and exercise regularly.
These messages are important, but they tell only part of the story. Good nutrition is not just a personal responsibility; it is also a food-system issue.
What Ghanaians eat is influenced by what farmers produce, what food costs, how it is processed and marketed, what is served in schools, and what information consumers receive.
Ghana has the agricultural capacity to produce a wide variety of nutritious foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, eggs, roots and tubers. Yet production alone is not enough. Poor storage, transportation challenges and weak market access mean that an estimated 30 per cent of food in Ghana can spoil before reaching consumers or retailers, according to a 2025 study by the International Growth Centre. The losses are particularly significant for fruits and vegetables, reducing both farmers’ incomes and the availability of nutritious foods. This is where policy becomes important.
Agricultural policies should consider not only how much food Ghana produces, but also whether that food contributes to healthy diets. Greater support for diverse crops, local vegetables, fruits and legumes could strengthen both agriculture and nutrition.
The food-processing industry has a role as well. Processing can reduce food waste, improve convenience and create new markets for local produce. But greater attention should be paid to the nutritional quality of processed foods, particularly those high in salt, added sugar and unhealthy fats.
Public education must also become more practical. Telling people to “eat healthy” is not enough when nutritious foods may be unaffordable or unavailable. Consumers need information, but they also need a food environment that makes healthier choices realistic.
Good nutrition begins on the farm, continues through the market and food industry, reaches the school and household, and ultimately ends on the plate.
What is needed is greater coordination.
A successful nutrition strategy should connect agricultural production with health objectives, school feeding with local agriculture, food processing with nutritional quality, and public education with the realities of household income and food prices.
The ultimate goal is not simply to produce more food.
It is to ensure that Ghanaians have reliable access to safe, affordable and nutritious food throughout their lives.
Feature Article by Women, Media and Change
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Igredients
– 2 cups of white rice
-1 large onion
– Vegetable oil
– 1 teaspoonful of grinded turmeric
-Salt to taste
– 2 carrots
-1 green pepper
-Spring onion
Method
-Pour the oil in saucepan and put it on fire
-Wash and cut onions. Add it to the oil and allow it to turn golden brown
-Add rice, stir for sometime to make it crispy
-Add water, turmeric, salt and allow rice to cook for sometime
-Cover the saucepan, reduce heat to low, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is cooked, about 10 minutes
-Wash cut carrot, green pepper and spring onions and add to the rice on fire
-Serve with stew or shito
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