A habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper can be from 40 to 140 times hotter than a jalapeno. That explains why cooks are advised to wear rubber gloves and use extreme caution when working with chili peppers, especially the hotter varieties. Some people advocate using goggles to protect the eyes. Neither gloves nor goggles are used in Ghana, except perhaps in professional kitchens. When using fresh peppers such as habanero, never touch a pepper directly. I hold the washed pepper with a fork and use a sharp knife to deseed it or remove membranes. Incidentally, capsaicin oil is not water soluble, which is why drinking a lot of water or rinsing a hand with water will not help ease the burn. It is fat soluble, so drinking milk or rubbing oil or even milk on a hand will help alleviate the heat.
Using chili peppers in my recipes:
It is a challenge to indicate exactly how much chili pepper to use in the recipes in this book. It depends on the type of pepper and personal preference. Often I add a slice or two of a chili pepper to a stew or soup and taste the stew as it cooks, removing the slice if the stew seems to be getting too hot. Sometimes I simply slice off the end and cook the pepper whole in a soup. Once cooked, the pepper can be gently squeezed with a spoon (in the soup to avoid squirting one’s eyes) and the heat can be gradually released into the soup; or it can be sliced and served alongside the soup or stew, allowing diners who wish more heat to help themselves. I often combine both fresh and dried chili peppers. Sometimes part of a chili pepper can be blended with tomatoes or other spices like garlic or ginger before adding to the soup or stew. Much of the heat in the chili peppers is contained in the seeds and inner membranes, so one way to reduce the heat is to deseed and cut out the membranes.
When using chilies, it is best to be cautious and conservative. For those new to chili peppers, it is wise to begin with dried ground red pepper, gradually increasing the amount until the desired spiciness is obtained—remember, more can be added but the reverse is not true. Be aware that dried hot ground red pepper directly imported from Ghana is hotter than that commonly sold in North American grocery stores.
CHILI PEPPER HEAT
The heat in capsicums is commonly rated using the SHU (Scoville Heat Units). While helpful, its accuracy is limited, as the same variety of pepper can have widely varied intensity or pungency, depending on soil, climate, or even location on the same bush. Below are listed some common SHU of peppers and sauces, in ascending order of heat:
| Habanero (C. chinense Jacquin) | 100,000 to 350,000 SHU |
| Scotch bonnet (C. chinense) | 100,000 to 325,000 SHU |
| Kpakpo shito (C. chinense) | 70,000 to 100,000 SHU |
| Cayenne (C. annuum) | 30,000 to 50,000 SHU |
| Jalapeno (C. annuum) | 2,500 to 5,000 SHU |
| Tabasco Original Pepper Sauce | 2,500 to 5,000 SHU |
| Paprika (C. annuum) | 0 to 300 SHU |
| Bell peppers (C. annuum) | 0 |
Ghanaian Basic Tomato Gravy
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.
From this combination, other vegetables and/or protein sources can be added. This list includes an endless variety of greens, eggplant, pumpkin, cowpeas, eggs, fresh and/or smoked/dried fish and shrimp, seeds, and nuts. The gravy is also a base for one-pots where rice or gari (cassava meal) are added to make Ghanaian classics reminiscent of fried rice, Spanish rice, or paella (see Gari Foto and Jollof Rice recipes, pages 152 and 156). This basic sauce can also stand on its own merits and be served with many of the recipes in this book, from Rice and Beans (Waakye) to Jollof or Coconut Rice, Banku, Ampesi (Boiled Starchy Vegetables), or Fried Ripe Plantains, etc. Also, it is easy to add things to it, from fresh or dried or smoked fish and seafood, poultry, snails, mutton, pork, beef, or goat to vegetables or ground seeds or nuts, singly and in combination.
But classically, tomato gravy only requires oil, onion, tomato, chili pepper, and salt. For health reasons, I have halved the amount of oil used in Ghana.
North American vs. Ghanaian: Ghanaian gravy is not your typical American gravy. After I married and invited my brother-in-law Kwaku and his family to my home in Pennsylvania to experience a typical “American Thanksgiving,” Kwaku kept looking past that brown stuff at the table for the familiar red sauce that would make his bland mashed potatoes and roast turkey edible. Several times he asked “But where’s the gravy?” before I realized what was happening.
Makes about 2 cups
Version 1: Everyday Tomato Gravy
Ingredients
2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (palm, peanut, canola, etc.)
1 large onion or several scallions, peeled and sliced or chopped (1 cup)
1 heaping teaspoon crushed or minced garlic (optional)
1 heaping teaspoon grated or minced fresh ginger (optional)
2 cups sliced or diced tomatoes
Chili pepper, to taste (use as much of a seeded and chopped habanero or Scotch bonnet [hot] or jalapeno [mild] as desired—for beginners, a thin slice will do); or ⅛ teaspoon dried ground red pepper to begin with and adjust to taste (more can be added, but the reverse is not true)
½ teaspoon salt or seasoned salt (or to taste)
1 heaping teaspoon canned tomato paste
½ cup water or stock
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions to the hot oil and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger, if using, and sauté 2 or 3 minutes more.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, chili pepper, and salt. Stir in tomato paste and water or stock.
3. Simmer about 15 minutes on medium-low heat, or until the gravy has thickened to the desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasonings.
Version 2: A Smoother Tomato Gravy
Ingredients
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped (optional)
3 or 4 medium tomatoes or 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
¼ cup oil
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon dried ground red pepper (or more to taste)
1½ teaspoons canned tomato paste
½ teaspoon salt or seasoned salt (or to taste)
½ cup water or stock
Directions
1. Put the onion,