Bambara beans are small, round and hard, and they take a long time to cook. Once softened, they turn creamy and nutty. In southern Ghana, they are cooked into aboboi, a thick stew made with palm oil, onions, tomatoes and pepper. Served with fried ripe plantain or a sprinkle of gari, aboboi is filling and full of flavour. It is less common in Accra’s restaurants than red red, but many families cook it at home, and some chop bars still serve it.
Bambara beans and the stew
Bambara groundnuts, or bambara beans, are a legume native to Africa. They grow underground like groundnuts and can survive in dry conditions. The beans are usually soaked overnight and then boiled for a long time until soft. Some cooks use a pressure cooker to save time. Onions, tomatoes and pepper are fried in palm oil, and the cooked beans are added. The stew is simmered until thick.
Salt, dried fish, shrimp powder or crab may be added for extra flavour. Aboboi is commonly eaten with fried ripe plantain, whose sweetness complements the savoury beans.
A Ga favourite, nutrition and cost
Some people sprinkle gari over the stew for texture. Aboboi is especially associated with Ga and other coastal communities, though it is eaten across southern Ghana. Bambara beans are rich in protein and fibre, making aboboi a nutritious meal. Bambara beans can be more expensive than common beans, but a pot of aboboi goes a long way.
The long cooking time is one reason aboboi is often prepared on weekends. Red red uses black-eyed beans, which cook faster. Aboboi has a richer, nuttier taste.
Farming, revival and chop bars
Bambara beans are grown mainly in northern Ghana and are an important crop for food security. Nutritionists and chefs have encouraged more use of bambara beans as a local, climate-resilient food. Some chop bars and street sellers in Accra serve aboboi on particular days of the week, and regular customers know when to come. Some cooks mash part of the beans to thicken the stew, while others leave them whole. A few add smoked fish or meat.
Aboboi asks for patience: hours of soaking, then hours of boiling. Families who still make it say the first spoonful explains why.