The best part of going somewhere new is experiencing their culture, and what better way to experience the culture of a country than through their local food?

As a visitor in Ghana, the cost of eating will vary greatly depending on what you choose to eat and where you choose to eat it. But, whatever you choose to eat, there are a couple of things you simply cannot leave Ghana without trying.



Chichinga
You may be wary about street food, but trust me, this is completely safe. Chichinga is basically beef or sausage kebabs. Why they don’t just call it that, I don’t know. But they’re really good and you can find a vendor on almost every street corner.

Kelewele
As a fried plantain advocate, kelewele has to be on my list of top foods to try. It’s fried plantain with the added bonus of ginger and also prepared by street vendors. You can choose to eat it plain, or you can request for extra pepper (shitto) or nuts.

Red Red
If you’re like me, you are probably not a huge fan of beans. But Red Red, which is fried plantain with beans and red palm oil, somehow managed to get me to reconsider. If prepared properly, it’s a fine bean curry that can either include fish, beef or prawns. Just ensure you’re getting it somewhere clean.


Do you know any more Ghanaian delicacies? Add them to the list.

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I sha know kenkey/dokunu delicious

Banku
This is possibly Ghana’s most famous local dish. It’s fermented corn prepared into balls and served with shitto, fresh grounded pepper (either red or green), fish, and a mix of vegetables. For some, it takes a little getting used to, but it’s worth a try.

Fried Rice / Jollof Rice
What makes Ghanaian fried or jollof rice different, in my opinion, is the type of rice used – perfumed rice. And the fried rice is actually fried. If you get it at a street vendor, you can actually watch them pour the rice into the pan with the vegetables and fry it. The Jollof is a favorite rice dish in Ghana. The rice is prepared with mostly tomatoes to make it really red. Both rice dishes can be eaten plain or with salad or egg or chicken or fish.

Waakye (pronounced Waa-chi)
You absolutely have to try this! Not only is waa chi a mix of rice and beans, you can throw in a bunch of extras as well – plantain, spaghetti, and even garri. Be careful though. It tends to make a lot of people really sleepy after consumption. As any real food should.

Mouth watering

Fried egg sandwich / Chibom
Another meal you can get from a street side vendor. Chibom is egg fried with some pepper, onion and tomato to make a small omelet that is then toasted in the bread (optional). Somehow, it doesn’t taste as good if you try to make it yourself.

If you’re really in the mood, you can explore even more local cuisine, like kenke, groundnut soup, shoko, akotonshi, and a list of others. Always remember to get your food from somewhere clean though and, in the case of street side vendors, always keep an eye on the hands.