The six ( 6 ) types of Ewe foods from Ghana Most people get confused between the words food, dish and meal. These are terms used when talkin...
Most people get confused between the words food, dish and meal.
These are terms used when talking anything food.
Food; is the general word that refers to anything edible.
Dish: is referred to as food prepared in a particular way. Eg. Ayikple
Meal: refers to the customary time or occasion when food is served or eaten. Eg. Lunch
Amongst the Ewe’s, food in general is called Nududu. However there are various types of staple foods and snacks varying from locality to locality . Whilst some Staple food’s are taken for its energy values and nutrition others are taken as snacks or between the meal recipes .
It is obvious millennials ranging from 24 years and below are totally lost on most local dishes used to be enjoyed by our forebears.
It is most common to now hear an Ewe crave for noodles/indomie as to the famous akple Kple fetri detsi, ayikple kple aborbitadi, yaka yake Kple amatadi, nagotidzogbÉ” etc.
A typical Ewe family would rather prefer freshly prepared meals than to fast foods with some making funny comments that ” nyeme É–unu ne nyeme É–u akple o” to wit I have not eaten unless I eat my akple.
Changes to our modern careers and jobs must certainly be the contributing factor to the increasing love for fast foods instead of hot freshly prepared Ewe staples and snacks, Which is why I bring to you some of our Ewe dishes to remind us of what we are missing:
1. Akple And Okro Soup: Akple is made of corn flour with variations of mixed cassava dough, water and salt. It is often served with okro soup known as fetri detsi in the Ewe language. The okro soup can be made with or without palm oil. day without Ewes cannot go a day without eating akple.
2. Dzenkple: One of our favorite dishes. It’s also another type of akple. It is mostly prepared during occasions often for merry making or for some cultural rites. Normally palm oil is used in preparing dzenkple but people who do not eat palm oil due to religious or dietary restrictions go for dzenkple É£i which is basically ewÉ”kple cooked with chicken or meat stock. It is prepared with assorted ingredients that gives it a sweet aroma. A very nutritious and tasty meal usually served with chicken, meat, crab and other proteins
3. Abolo: A gluten free, sweet and slightly sour, steamed dumpling usually served with fried fish and pepper. Abolo is prepared by adding sugar and water to ground corn to form a dough. The dough allowed to rise overnight before it is wrapped in corn husks and steamed or baked. We have two types of Abolo, one which is baked and the other steamed. The two taste very similar.
4. Yaka Yake: Yakayake is a gluten free steamed pudding made out of cassava. Can best be enjoyed with amatadi or pepper.
5. Agbeli Kaklo: One of our snacks made from cassava. Very crunchy and mostly eaten with pepper or coconut.
6. Atsipipi: Another crunchy snack you’ll love. Made from grated corn flour with sugar and salt and rolled like a pencil.
Most of the ingredients used in preparing Ewe dishes are natural ingredients and contain all the nutrients we need and so, it is only important that we learn to cook and eat our ewe foods.
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