Kontomire and palava sauce

What kontomire and palava sauce are

Kontomire is the broad green leaf of the cocoyam plant, and in Ghanaian kitchens it does the job spinach does elsewhere, only with more character. Cooked down, it turns dark, soft and savoury. Turn that green into a proper stew with melon seeds, palm oil, onion, tomato, pepper and smoked or salted fish, and you have palava sauce, sometimes spelled palaver, one of the anchor dishes of Akan home cooking.

The name is a nod to how much people argue about the right way to make it, which ingredients belong and which do not. Some cooks bulk it out with ground egusi or agushie seeds until it is thick and nutty; others keep it leaner and greener. Either way it is far more substantial than a side of vegetables.

For where this sits in the wider cuisine, our Ghanaian food guide puts it in context with the country's other staples.

How it is cooked

The kontomire is washed, sliced and boiled or steamed until it collapses, then squeezed out. Meanwhile a base is built from palm oil gently heated with onion, tomato and pepper, often with smoked fish, salted fish or momoni, the pungent fermented fish that gives many Ghanaian stews their depth. Ground melon seeds go in to thicken and enrich, and the drained leaves are folded back through at the end so they keep some texture.

A lighter cousin called abom skips much of the oil and keeps the leaves fresher, closer to a warm greens mash, and is often eaten with boiled plantain and avocado. Both are common, and knowing the names lets you order the style you prefer rather than whatever the menu assumes you want. Cooks in different regions tweak the balance too, some leaning heavier on the melon seeds, others on the fish.

If you want to see the raw ingredients, the greens stalls in the big markets are the place, and our notes on eating around the country in the Ghana street food guide point you at them.

What to eat it with

Palava sauce is a partner, not a solo act. The classic pairing is boiled yam, its plain, starchy sweetness set against the rich green stew. Boiled plantain, cocoyam and cassava do the same job, and plenty of people spoon it over plain rice or eat it with kokonte, the stiff cassava dough. On a good plate you get a wedge of yam, a generous ladle of sauce and a piece of the fish that flavoured it.

It is everyday food and celebration food at once, as likely to appear at a family Sunday lunch as at a funeral gathering. Because it leans on greens and seeds rather than heavy meat, it is one of the dishes we suggest to travellers who want something nourishing after a run of fried and grilled food. If you will be eating at ceremonies, our etiquette and customs guide is worth a look first.

Honest notes for travellers

One genuine thing to know: cocoyam leaves, like taro and other aroids, contain tiny crystals that can prickle the mouth and throat if the leaves are undercooked. Proper cooking breaks them down completely, which is exactly why the leaves are always boiled or steamed thoroughly rather than eaten raw. In a home kitchen or a decent restaurant this is a non-issue, so order it somewhere with a busy kitchen rather than a stall where it has sat lukewarm for hours.

The dish is often quite oily from the palm oil, and the fermented fish is an acquired aroma for some visitors. Ask for the lighter abom, or ask the cook to go easy on the momoni, if either is not for you. Palm oil, incidentally, is a normal and traditional part of the flavour, not a shortcut.

For sensible eating and drinking habits generally, see our water and what to drink guide.

Try it with people who know the good kitchens

Palava sauce is one of those dishes where the difference between an average version and a memorable one is huge, and it comes down to which kitchen you are in. As a Kasoa-based team who arrange these trips every week, we know the chop bars and restaurants around Accra and the towns to the west that do it properly, with fresh leaves and a well-seasoned base.

We can build this into a food-focused day in an air-conditioned vehicle, with a driver-guide who orders for you, explains the sides and gets you to the good spots at the right time of day. For sit-down options, our guide to the best restaurants in Accra lists places that plate it up well.

Questions people ask