Nutrition
Kelewele
• 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.
Nutrition
Nourishing Ghana Starts with Us: The role of citizens
The success of Ghana’s fight against malnutrition does not rest solely in the hands of the government or donors. It depends on us, the citizens. Nutrition is not just a technical issue. It is a societal one, and every Ghanaian has a role to play in ensuring that no child goes hungry, no mother is left unsupported, and no community is forgotten.
As citizens, we must shift how we see nutrition: not as a private family concern, but as a collective national responsibility. Here’s how we can act:
1. Demand accountability
Every citizen has the right and responsibility to ask how public funds are being used to support nutrition. Are local clinics stocked with supplements? Are school feeding programmes working in your district? Are maternal health services adequately funded? Ask questions. Engage assembly members. Attend town hall meetings. Make your voice count.
2. Speak up, Speak out
Silence has a cost. When we fail to speak out against malnutrition, we normalise it. Use your platform, whether it is WhatsApp group, a radio show, a church gathering, or social media, to raise awareness. Normalise conversations about child feeding, food quality, and maternal health. Silence keeps systems broken. Voices drive change.
3. Support local solutions
Support or join community nutrition initiatives. Volunteer. Share what you know. Help spread accurate information about breastfeeding, healthy diets, and hygiene. If you are a farmer, teacher, trader, or youth leader, your knowledge and effort can make a difference. Change starts in our homes and neighbourhoods.
4. Protect the first 1,000 days
Whether you are a father, grandmother, neighbor, or employer, support pregnant women and caregivers during this crucial period. Encourage antenatal care. Help with child care. Prioritise nutritious foods. The first 1,000 days of a child’s life lay the foundation for everything that follows.
When citizens care, ask questions, take action, and show solidarity, we create the conditions for lasting change. Malnutrition is not inevitable. It is a symptom of neglect, and neglect ends when citizens choose to act.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition Project
Nutrition
Ga Kenkey
Ga kenkey, a staple in Ghanaian cuisine, is prepared with fermenting corn dough, then cooking a portion of it to create ‘aflata’ or ‘banku’. It is a popular food in the southern part of Ghana.
Ingredients:
-8 cups of dried corn
-Dried corn leaves (for wrapping)
-2 tablespoonful of stew
Preparation
-Soak corn in water overnight
-Grind corn into a powder form
-Mix the ground corn with water (dough)
-Mix part of the dough with water and put it on fire to cook
-Take the pot off the fire and mix in the remaining dough .
– When ready shape mixture into balls and set every prepared ball on a corn leaf.
– Cover each ball by wrapping the corn leaf around it
– Put water on fire. Add wrapped kenkey to boil for 45 minutes.
– When ready take them out carefully and serve them along with shito, ground pepper and fish.
