Red Red

Red red is Ghana’s beloved bean stew, named for the pools of red palm oil that shimmer on top of the pot. Black-eyed peas are simmered until creamy, then folded into a spicy tomato sauce and served with sweet fried plantains on the side. It is a staple of chop bars and home kitchens across the country, humble in name and rich in flavor. The name is said to come from the red oil that rises to the surface, and the dish wears it proudly.

Slow beans in a sunset-red sauce

The beans are soft and creamy, soaking up a sauce that is savory, gently spicy, and unmistakably red, with palm oil lending a depth that vegetable oil simply cannot. The fried plantains bring sweetness and a caramelized edge that makes the perfect counterpoint. Eat red red with rice, or with the plantains right on top, and let the sauce do the talking. It is economical, filling, and proof that beans need no fancy treatment to be magnificent.

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