Nutrition
Koose
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• Koose
Koose(bean cakes) also known as ‘Akara’ is a traditional meal in Ghana consumed mostly by people from the Northern part of Ghana.
It is one delicacy eaten anytime of the day. But it is mostly eaten withHausa kooko as breakfast.
Every morning, it is common to see lots of buyers from all walks of life in a queue to purchase this delicacy.
Koose is prepared from ground beans or cowpeas.
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Ingredients for koose
- 4 cups of black –eyed beans
- 2 large onions
- 2 tablespoonfuls of powdered pepper
- 3 eggs
- Chopped spring onions (if preferred)
- Cooking oil
- Salt
Preparation
- Pour beans in water and soak for 30minutes
- Pour the water out then put beans in blender. Add enough water to it.
- Don’t fully blend beans. Remove the skin using the blender by pushing the stop or pause button every minute when you start blending. Do that 3-4 times.
- Pour beans into a large bowl and add more water. Rub the beans in your hands to take off the skin.
- Drain the water along with skin on top of beans. Make sure all the skins are removed
- Pour skinless beans in blender, add pepper, onion and salt. Add enough water to blend until smooth.
- Pour blended mixture into bowl, add eggs then hand-whisk for 2-3minutes. This process will make the mixture fluffy.
- Set aside a mixture of egg, chopped spring onions and four teaspoons of blended mixture for garnishing.
- Heat oil under medium heat until hot then scoop in the batter with a spoon. Garnish top with the set aside mixture.
- -Turn koose over when it starts to brown at the bottom. Fry the other side until golden brown.
- Remove it from oil when cooked then put it in a strainer or paper towel to drain oil
- Serve koose with porridge.
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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