Nutrition
Yellow rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup of rice
- 50grammes of butter
- 1 heaped tablespoonful of caster sugar
- 1 table spoonful of ground cinnamon
- 6 cardamom pods , shelled and seeds crushed
- 1 tablespoonful of ground turmeric
- 5 tablespoonfuls of raisin
Preparation
-Put all the ingredients in a large pan .
-Add one tablespoonful of salt and water.
– Heat until boiling and the butter is melted.
-Stir, cover and leave to simmer for six minutes.
-Take off the heat and leave, still covered, for five minutes.
– Fluff up and tip into a warm bowl to serve.
Source: bbcgoodfood.com
Shepherd’s pie
Ingredients of Shepherd’s Pie
- 2 tablespoonfuls of vegetable oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 450 grammes minced lamb
- 2-3 carrots (sliced), peeled
- 1/4 tablespoonful of salt
- 1 tablespoonful of ground cumin
- 25 grammes plain flour
- 300 ml lamb or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoonfuls tomato puree
- 700 grammes potatoes (boiled), peeled
- 25 grammes butter
- 4-5 tablespoonfuls of milk
- 50 grammes of cheddar cheese, grated
Preparation
-Heat the oil in a pan and add the bay leaves followed by the onion and fry for a couple of minutes.
-Then add the green chillies, lamb and carrots and continue frying for 8-10 minutes until the mince turns brown.
-Add the salt, cumin and flour and stir for a minute. Slowly blend in the stock and tomato puree.
-Cook until the mixture thickens. In the meantime, peel and boil the potatoes in boiling water for 20 minutes until soft.
-Preheat the oven at 200C. Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk.
-When the lamb mixture is thick, tip it into an oven proof dish.
Spread the mashed potatoes on top and sprinkle over the cheese.
-Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Source: food.ndtv.com
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.
