Ghanaian Red Bean Stew (Atidua)

The Holiday season is here, and this year, I have decided to share a very local Holiday recipe my parents used to eat during the Christmas holiday — either Christmas Day or Boxing Day. For this blog post, I will be sharing a vegan-friendly red bean stew using red cowpeas. It is simple, delicious, and very hearty.

Atidua

Atidua is the Twi name for red cowpeas. Cowpeas are an important part of the West African diet and come in many types and colours, with different types available depending on the location. The most popular is black eye peas. They grow well in sandy soil with low rainfall, which also makes them quite a drought-resistant plant. There is a long list of Ghanaian dishes that rely on cowpeas as the sole source of protein- making these dishes perfect for people on a plant-based diet.

This particular type of cowpea can look very much like adzuki beans (red beans used in Eastern Asian cooking); however, the two are not the same and taste very different.

What you will need to make red bean stew + Substitutions

This recipe is basically red red with a different type of bean, so the same method and process applies here

The Stew

• Red Palm Oil: I will say this is essential since this recipe is so cherished in my parent’s villages, I wanted to stay true to the ingredients. But vegetable oil works just fine. If you are not familiar with red palm oil or have concerns about its use, please check out this blog post.
• Atidua – red cowpeas. You can usually buy these at West African stores. They might be a bit harder to find because they are really only used in Ghana. Last Last, you can use black-eye peas. Please do not use adzuki beans.
• Aromatics (Onion, garlic, ginger): What is a Ghanaian recipe without the holy trinity?
• Tomato: Ghanaian food is very tomato-heavy, so we will need fresh tomatoes for this recipe. For the best flavour and taste, I recommend plum/roma tomatoes. They have lower acidity than grapevine and a nice flavour.
• Scotch Bonnet Pepper: No Ghanaian dish is complete without heat, especially if it is my grandmother making the dish. But I do know that people are not too keen on spice, so you can swap scotch bonnet for a less spicy alternative or completely remove it.
• Atieja: This is a green herb that gives the stew a really authentic flavour. It is not required, but you will have the cherry on top if you can find it. You can also use bay leaves instead.
• Umami Seasoning: Traditionally, a small amount of fermented salted fish is added to the stew for flavour. Since I do not eat fish, I use my umami seasoning blend to bring back the same funky flavour to the stew. You can find the recipe at this link. You can completely omit this from the recipe.

The Accompaniment

Unlike Red Red or Beans stew, atidua is paired with boiled yam or plantain. These are essential vessels for traditional Ghanaian stews.

• Yam: The West African yam is a delicious starchy root tuber that is usually boiled to accompany this stew. You can only purchase the proper type at an African store. You can find more details in this blog post. They cannot be substituted with sweet potatoes. However, if you cannot find these, I recommend focusing on plantains or even boiling taro/cocoyam.
• Plantain: Boiled plantain also work perfectly with this stew. The prefered plantains are the green starchy versions but you can also boil ripe plantains. Plantains are usually available in Asian, African or Caribbean stores. Some grocery stores also carry them in their ethnic produce isle. Check out this blog post for more details on selecting the best plantain.

Serving size

For four people, a medium-sized yam about 30 centimetres in length can work. If you choose to eat the beans with plantain, portion one and 1/4 plantain, then you will need about 5 plantains for four people. You can mix and match yam and plantain

If you enjoyed this Ghanaian red bean stew recipe, make sure to check out the following recipes.

• Kontomire Stew
• Okro Stew
• Ghanaian Beans Stew