Christmas is one of the biggest festivities celebrated across the world.
In Ghana, it is a special occasion for all, with celebrations centered around large family gatherings and feasts.
Everyday greetings change from the usual “Good morning” and “Good afternoon” to “Afehyiapa,” meaning Merry Christmas or Happy New Year.
Christmas brings a lot of joy to children. Particularly, they look forward to getting new clothes and shoes and also look forward to eating specially-prepared meals.
Ghanaians prepare all sort of delicious meals to grace the occasion. They are usually eaten together as a family, be it nuclear or the whole extended family. If you live in a typical Ghanaian house, here are a couple of meals you might have had:
Fried rice and any meat of preferred choice
Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a frying pan. It is mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish.
Fufu and Light soup
Fufu is a starchy food, which is often made from pounding cooked cassava and green plantain.
On the other hand, light soup is a local indigenous soup of the people of the Greater Accra Region.
Originally called ‘Tomatoes-Base Sea Fish Light Soup’ called ‘Aklo (or Aklor) for fishermen at the coast of Accra. It is prepared by steaming fish or meat of the livestock of choice with seasonings in a saucepan.
Tomato paste is then added. Chilli peppers, garden eggs and tomatoes are boiled, blended and added to the saucepan. Water is added to bring the soup to its desired thickness. More onions and tomatoes are added, then blended, and the soup is left to simmer.
Jollof rice and meat of choice
Jollof rice is a spiced rice dish, simmered in reduced tomatoes, onions, peppers, and seasonings. It is normally accompanied with salad, fried plantain and meat of choice.
Banku and Tilapia
It is mostly preferred by the people of the Southern Regions of Ghana; the Ewe people, the Fante people and the Ga-Adangbe people but also eaten across the other regions in Ghana. Banku is a Ghanaian dish which is cooked by a proportionate mixture of fermented corn and cassava dough. The corn and cassava dough are mixed in hot water into a smooth, whitish paste. It is then served with soup, okro stew or a pepper sauce with fish.