Red-Red Stew
Overview
Red red is a Ghanaian black-eyed pea stew, and the name is a plain description of what it looks like. The beans are cooked in red palm oil, zomi, with tomato, and both give the dish the deep rust colour it is named for. It is usually vegetarian, which is worth noting because it is unusual among West African stews in being so by default rather than by adaptation. The beans carry it, and the palm oil provides the richness that meat would otherwise supply. Some households add fish or meat, but the standard version does not need it. Zomi is not interchangeable with ordinary red palm oil. It is palm oil that has been heated and infused, and it carries a deeper, slightly smoky flavour that is much of what makes red red taste Ghanaian rather than generically bean-stewed. The classic accompaniment is fried plantain, and the pairing is close to inseparable, the sweetness of ripe plantain against the savoury, oily beans is the whole balance of the meal. Gari is often served alongside too. It is cheap, filling and slow-cooked, and it is street food as much as home food across Ghana. Black-eyed peas are the usual bean, but the dish tolerates others without complaint.
AFN Heritage Note
Red red is a Ghanaian stew of black-eyed peas cooked in red palm oil, taking its name from the colour imparted by the oil and tomato. Zomi, the infused palm oil traditionally used, contributes the flavour that distinguishes it from bean stews made with neutral oil.
Ingredients
Dietary tags are provided by contributors as a guide, not verified by AFN, and they depend on the products you buy. If you have a serious allergy, check every ingredient yourself. Cooking, allergies and your own judgement
Directions
- 1
Rinse dry black-eyed pea beans and pick through and discard any foreign object. (I did not have to do this because I used the package beans,). Add beans to a large pot covering with 3-4 inches of cold water.
- 2
Cover and let sit overnight or 6 to 8 hours.
- 3
Drain the soaked beans, rinse, and place the beans in a Dutch oven or pressure cooker. Follow instructions for cooking beans in your pressure cooker. It takes roughly between 8 to 12 minutes to cook. If not using a pressure cook, cook the beans for about 50- 60 mins or until tender.
- 4
Drain the cooked beans and set aside
- 5
If using canned beans you should start from here.
- 6
Heat oil (palm and canola) in large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Sauté the onions in the oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- 7
Add tomatoes, tomatoes paste , ginger, garlic, paprika and bouillon powder/ cubes. Cook while stirring for about 60 seconds.
- 8
Through in the Cray fish and let it simmer, for about 10-15 minutes, add water/ stock if needed to prevent burns. Continue to cook the sauce, stirring occasionally.
- 9
Finally add the beans, green onions and the remaining stock/water and bring to a boil and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
- 10
Adjust for seasonings, and beans consistency with water and serve.
Africook’s Notes
- Use zomi if you can find it. Ordinary palm oil works but the infused version is where much of the flavour lives.
- Cook the beans until genuinely soft before the tomato goes in. Acid slows bean cooking considerably.
- Do not salt the beans early, it toughens the skins and lengthens the cooking.
- Fried ripe plantain is not optional in practice. The sweetness against the savoury beans is the point of the meal.
- It thickens as it stands and is better the next day.
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