Nutrition
Eba and Egusi Stew
Ingredients
Egusi soup:
- 2 cups ground egusi (melon seeds)
- 1 kg assorted meat (beef, goat)
- Stockfish (pre-soaked/boiled) and smoked fish
- ½ to ¾ cup palm oil
- 5 cups spinach or bitter leaf
- 1 large onion
- 2–3 seasoning cubes
- Scotch bonnet pepper (to taste)
- 1–2 tablespoons ground crayfish
Eba:
- Gari (white or yellow/red oil-fortified)
- Boiling water
Preparation
For Egusi Soup:
- Boil the assorted meat with chopped onions, seasoning cubes, and salt until tender. Reserve the meat stock.
- Heat palm oil in a clean pot on medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and sauté.
- Add the ground egusi and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until it turns slightly toasted and crumbly.
- Gradually add the reserved meat stock to the fried egusi while stirring to avoid lumps.
- Cover the pot and let egusi simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the oil separates and rises to the top.
- Add ground crayfish, pepper, and the cooked meat/fish. Stir and cook for another 5–10 minutes.
- Add the washed/chopped vegetables (spinach or bitter leaf) and simmer for 2–5 minutes until wilted but still green.
For Eba:
- Boil water in a kettle or pot until it reaches a rolling boil.
- Pour hot water into a bowl. Gradually sprinkle the gari into the hot water.
- Stir vigorously with a wooden spatula to prevent lumps until the gari is fully incorporated and smooth.
- Cover the bowl for 1–2 minutes to allow the heat to steam the eba.
- By Theresa Tsetse
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Nutrition
Healthy diets are not just personal choices: Ghana must fix the food environmentBy Marilyn Gadogbe
Ghanaian families are increasingly consuming unhealthy foods because the environment makes them the easiest and cheapest choice. From sugary drinks and pastries in schools to instant noodles at home, daily diets are pushing the nation toward hypertension, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases.
Key points:
- Choice is limited: People often pick energy-dense, processed foods not out of carelessness but because they are affordable, convenient, and heavily marketed.
- Health risks: Ultra-processed snacks are becoming common in urban homes, contributing to rising chronic diseases and a growing public health burden.
- Policy vs. personal responsibility: Individual choices matter most when supported by a healthy environment. Policies can enable responsible decisions, just as traffic laws support safe driving.
Proposed 5-Point Action Plan for Ghana:
- Front-of-pack warning labels: FDA & MoH to mandate clear labels on high-sugar or high-salt products.
- Marketing restrictions: FDA to limit advertising of unhealthy foods to children, especially near schools.
- School food standards: GES & School Feeding Programme to prioritize nutrient-dense local foods and limit sugary drinks.
- Sugar levy: MoF & MoH to tax sugar-sweetened beverages and use revenue to subsidize fresh fruits and vegetables in low-income areas.
- Strengthen local food systems: MoFA & Local Assemblies to invest in fresh food access, storage, and market infrastructure.
Conclusion:
A healthier Ghana requires designing a supportive food environment through policy. Diet-related diseases are not just personal choices—they reflect the system people live in. Without structural change, preventable illnesses will continue to burden the nation.
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Yake Yake is a traditional Ghanaian dish from the Volta Region made from steamed, grated cassava. It is similar to Attieke but typically steamed in a different, more rustic, or water-free style.
Ingredients
- 4 tubes of cassava
- Salt to taste
Preparation
- Peel the cassava tubers, remove the fibrous inner core, and wash thoroughly.
- Grate the cassava using a blender or grater until it is fine and grainy.
- Place the grated cassava into a muslin or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Pass the dried, squeezed cassava through a strainer to separate coarse chunks, ensuring a fine, powdery texture.
- Line a steamer (or a pot with a perforated insert) with a cheesecloth. Pour the cassava flakes into the cloth, forming a dome shape.
- Steam for about 3–4 minutes until fluffy.
- Turn the Yake Yake out onto a plate. It should appear as a soft, cake-like dome.
- Pair with tilapia, hot pepper, and sliced onions for a complete, authentic Ghanaian meal.
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