Ghana is well-known for preparing delicious dishes. It has a wide selection of international restaurants, especially in Accra and Kumasi. Trying dishes from only one region does not give you a comprehensive taste of all the dishes from another region. When visiting Ghana, it is advisable to taste meals from all parts of the country since they are different. You will find out that each region has its ingredients and a unique way of cooking compared to other regions. Restaurants and chop bars are the best spots to taste these dishes.
Ghana is a large country comprised of various regions, and therefore, it is not possible to visit all the regions at once, especially when a cheap vacation. If you frequently visit Ghana, this is possible and much easier. Famous dishes across all regions include fufu, a ball of mashed cassava, or yam. Fufu is normally served with a light soup. Jollof rice is a spicy meal cooked in potato sauce with red meat, fish, or chicken. Banku and kenkey are also common; both are served with tomato-based relish. Fried yams, potato chips, tilapia, chicken, and beef are common in most parts of Ghana.
1. Northern Region
The Northern region is situated in Guinea Savannah. The popular dishes of this Region include “Tuo Zaafi” rice balls or “Omo Tuo” with groundnut or green leaves soups, beans or cowpea with shea nut oil and pepper called “Tubaani” “Koko” or millet porridge eaten with “Koose” fried bean balls. Common Beverages include “Pito,” a local beer from millet, “Zom koom,” or toasted millet flour in water, and “fula,” mashed in water, milk, ginger, and sugar.
Many residents, especially in rural areas, are subsistence farmers who get a portion of their food from farm production. Maize, millet and sorghum, groundnut, bean, cowpea, pigeon pea, lately soya bean, hot pepper, tomato, onion, garden egg, and dark green leafy vegetables are the common farm products from this area.
2. Accra City
The common traditional meals prepared in most restaurants in this Region include kenkey with hot pepper and fried fish and banku with fried fish and pepper. “red red,” beans stew, fried plantain, and rice balls served with palm or groundnut soup are also common.
Sundays are special days, and most families enjoy and have fun in big restaurants in the city. Fried yam with turkey tail with hot spicy ground pepper, Khebabs are special Sunday dishes. Meat or liver cooked with a spicy powder and grilled are also common. Main Beverages include “asana” or maize beer, palm wine, coconut juice, and “Akpeteshie” liquor.
3. Western and Central Region
Famous dishes of the western region include “akyeke” served with Avocado pear, fufu, and light soup with mushroom. Beverages include coconut juice, palm wine, and “Akpeteshie.” Central Region dishes include “fante dorkunu” or kenkey with fish and gravy, fufu and palm nut soup, jollof rice, “fante fante” and tatale, ampesi, and mashed yam. Beverages include tea, coffee, cocoa drinks, Cheese, butter, palm wine, coconut juice “Akpeteshie.”
5. Volta Region
Volta region dishes include “Akple” with okro soup, fufu with palm nut soup, “Abolo” with shrimp, and “one man thousand” banku with okra stew or pepper, red-red or beans stew, and fried plantain. Beverages include “Akpeteshie” and palm wine.
6. Brong Ahafo Region
The main dishes of the Brong Ahafo Region are “Nkotomire” soup, plantain, and cocoyam “Ampesi.” “Akpeteshie” and Palm wine are the main dishes.
7. Upper-West and Upper-East Region
The main dishes of this Region are “Tuo Zaafi.” Rice balls or Omo Tuo with groundnut soup, green leaves soups, beans, cowpea, or “Tubaani” koko with “koose.” “pito” and “Zom koom” are the main dishes. The main dishes of the Upper-East Region are Tuo Zafi” rice balls or Omo Tuo with groundnut soup or green leaves soups, beans, rice, and cowpea, or “Tubaani,” koko with “koose.”
