Day 129: Nigeria and Beans and Plantain pottage

Good evening, Raffies!

We are going to Nigeria today and we are going to enjoy some warm Beans and Plantain Pottage.
This dish is a staple food in Nigeria and also in most of its neighbour countries. The ingredients can vary greatly. You can use different types of beans, vegetables, make a meaty version out of it or a vegetarian one. Some versions are sweeter, depending on the beans or peas you are using.

The recipe is quite easy, as usual:

300 g Black Eyed Beans or Nigerian Brown Beans
2 plantains
2 smoked dry fishes
150 ml  beef stock
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp dried crayfish
150 ml red palm oil
2 chilies
1 onion, chopped
40 g grated ginger
50 g Ugu (pumpkin leaves)

Place your beans in a bowl with water over night. Cook your beans in abundant water for 2-3 hours or in a pressure pot, like I did, for 15 minutes. If you are left with a lot of water, remove most of it, until you have like a finger left that is covering the beans.
Now add the plantain, dry fish and the crayfish. Adjust with salt and pour the beef stock.
In the meantime, sauté the onions with the ginger and the chilies in oil. Add the onion paste to the beans and stir well. Add the Ugu leaves and cook for a few minutes. Serve warm.

The dish was really nice, slightly sweet and spicy through the chili and very filling. Lovely!

Love,

Raffi