Ghanaian Basic Tomato Gravy

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By Fran Osseo-Asare and Barbara Baëta

Published 2015

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Just as Brazilian cooking often begins with preparation of a base called a refogado, or Spanish Caribbean cooking uses a sofrito, in Ghana many stews begin with a simple “gravy,” made from oil, sliced or chopped onions, sliced or chopped fresh tomatoes (or canned tomatoes or tomato paste), likely chili peppers (fresh or dried and ground), and sometimes fresh garlic and/or ginger. The oil may be canola, soy, peanut, corn, palm, coconut, or other vegetable oil, each with a distinctive flavor. In contemporary middle-class Ghanaian homes, expensive imported olive oil is more often finding its way into recipes for stews and sauces. This popularity is based on the perception that olive oil is healthier than traditional oils. It does, however, impart a “non-Ghanaian” flavor to the food.