Some Ghanaian dishes take hours of pounding and stirring. Ampesi takes a pot of water and a knife. Pieces of yam, green plantain, cocoyam or cassava are peeled, boiled until soft and served with a stew. It sounds plain, and it is, but for many Ghanaian families it is comfort food. Eaten with kontomire stew, garden egg stew or fried fish and pepper, ampesi is one of the most common home meals in the country.
What ampesi is and its stew
Ampesi is a Twi word for boiled starchy foods. The most common are yam and unripe plantain, but cocoyam, cassava and sweet potato are also used. Sometimes several are cooked together in one pot. The starch is peeled, cut into pieces and boiled in salted water until tender. Plantain cooks faster than yam, so some cooks add it later. The pieces are drained and served hot.
Ampesi is almost always eaten with a stew. Kontomire stew, made from cocoyam leaves, palm oil and egusi, is a classic. Garden egg stew, tomato stew with fish and simple pepper sauces are also popular.
Avocado, health and chop bars
In avocado season, many people eat ampesi with slices of ripe avocado, sometimes with a little salt and pepper. Because it is boiled rather than fried, ampesi is often seen as a lighter meal. With leafy kontomire stew, it provides vegetables as well as starch. Many chop bars in Accra serve ampesi at lunchtime, especially for workers who want a quick, filling meal.
Yam and plantain prices vary by season, but ampesi is generally affordable and easy to stretch for a family. Different regions prefer different starches. Some favour cocoyam, while others prefer yam. The stews also vary.
Leftovers, children and eating with the hands
Leftover yam and plantain can be fried the next day or mashed into other dishes. Many Ghanaians grew up on ampesi as a regular weekday supper, and it remains a dish parents cook for children. Many people eat ampesi with their hands, breaking off a piece of yam or plantain and using it to scoop up the stew. Others prefer a fork, especially at the office.
Ampesi needs no special skill to cook. That is probably why so many Ghanaians remember it as the first meal they learned to make for themselves.
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