Today I took hundreds of pictures with my eyes because I was told I could not them with my camera as we wove our way through Neema to the tro-tro station. We walked through narrow pathways between small corrugated tin-roofed homes and shops, across a wooden bridge where below the refuse mixed with a small stream where goats foraged for food. Minutes later arriving at the bustling station to take 2 tro-tros to a library on the outskirts of Accra. On the drive we passed canoe after canoe filled with fishing nets just returned from a hard morning’s work. We passed skyscrapers, then small wooden stalls on after the other after the other painted in Red, Yellow and Green of the Ghanaian flag. You can buy ANYTHING you need here in Accra.
Everyone in the tro-tro was kind and polite to me and to each other. I love how the conductor hands the money from person to person and everyone trusts each other.
Arrived at the library, the power was out; perfect for a Storytelling workshop where the only power you need is your voice.
Back to Neema for Market. Bought the biggest Yam I’ve ever seen and provisions so I can make my very own ampesi & jollof rice!
I am grateful for the friendly faces, the greetings from children and adults alike in this mostly Muslim neighborhood, “Hello! How are you?” Some of the children reach out and touch my skin, smiling and laughing, calling out “Obruni!”
Home to Joana’s for a lunch of fried donuts followed by leftover ampesi stew which I ate with my right hand just like a Ghanaian (or so I like to think) and now a bit of resting before learning how to make groundnut soup this evening!
Groundnut soup
2 whole Fish (any kind you wish) cut into large pieces.
¼ cup crushed ginger (we crushed ours w a mortar & pestle)
1 purple onion chopped.
2 small white eggplants
4 or 5 pieces of okra
1 carrot
4 to 5 red hot chili peppers
½ cup chopped cabbage
1 ½ cups of Rice
Steam Fish with crushed ginger add chopped onion.
1 cup peanut butter (groundnut butter)
1 small tin tomato paste
Whisk together peanut butter and tomato paste. Whisk in 1 cup hot water & add more until the mixture is light brown and rather thin. Bring to a boil and then lower heat simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens and the oil has risen to the surface. Add more water to thin the soup once again. Add mixture to the steamed fish.
Continue to cook on Low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. And add vegetables as you go. Cook it well.
Chop eggplants and okra; add to soup.
Add 4 to 5 Hot Red chili peppers (whole)
cook for about 20 to 30 minutes on low heat
Add chopped carrots and cabbage to the soup mix.
Continue to cook on Low heat. Cook it well. ( A Total of 30 to 45 minutes)
While the soup is cooking:
Rice Balls:
1 ½ cups rice
3 cups water
Cook rice with 3 cups water in a separate pot, bring to a boil and then on low heat until rice is quite sticky. Take off heat. Turn and blend rice with spoon until it mashes together and forms a large ball.
Use an ice cream scoop, scoop rice into a small bowl (before putting in bowl, swish cool water around the bowl so the rice does not stick. ) Hold the bowl in your hands, rock the bowl back and forth until the rice sticks together and forms a small loaf or “ball” put into a container with a lid to keep it hot.