This curried African bean stew is similar to the traditional African bean stew, but also bursting with the aromatic flavours of the additional herbs and spices. Serve for lunch with kelewele (spicy fried plantains) as sides.
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It was on the kitchen counter when I got home from work. It was a handwritten card to my 5-year old son from his teacher. My little boy handed it to me with tears in his eyes. I knew what it was about even before I opened it.
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It was about a loss.
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His kindergarten teacher, his first ever adult other than his parents, with whom he had formed a meaningful relationship was leaving. She had been promoted and was moving on to a new role. My boy was inconsolable. I put on my Mom hat on as I tried to help him make sense of the lesson that life had just thrown his way – that losses were a part of life, and inevitable. My little one soon calmed down, and I felt a sense of “super Mom” accomplishment.
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And that got me thinking…. Moms really know their sh*t. The older I get, the more I realise this is true. Take my Mom as a case-in-point. There was a time during my teenage years when all I wanted for lunch was African Red Red.
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Every day.
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Mom begged, cajoled, and threatened in a bid to get me to eat a balanced diet but to no avail. It would be African Red Red, or nothing else. African Red Red is basically black-eyed beans which have been stewed in red palm oil and sometimes, tomatoes. It gets its’ name from the red hue of the palm oil that features in this dish. It is a popular dish in Nigeria and Ghana, peddled by many street-food vendors and usually served for lunch with Kelewele for sides.
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Some say that Red Red is a poor man’s dish. You see, the basic ingredients for Red Red are relatively inexpensive. Black-eyed beans cost two-a-penny in Nigeria and Ghana, and so, are an incredibly cheap source of protein, and gluten-free. Red Palm Oil is also abundant, cheap and has a nutritional profile that is impressive.
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I don’t know if Red Red is a poor man’s dish. But, I know the following:
That stewed black-eyed beans is the perfect recipe for healthy vegetarian eating on a shoestring.
That this curried version of stewed black-eyed beans, while similar to the traditional version, is bursting with the aromatic flavours of the additional herbs and spices used in this curried bean stew.
And I also now know and believe in the gospel of a balanced diet preached by my Mom many many years ago.
Yep…. Moms really know their sh*t.
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And so, on this occasion of Mothers Day, there is nothing I want more, than to make a bowl of this delicious curried black-eyed beans as a toast to the woman who introduced me to the wonderful world of black-eyed beans.
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I love you, Mom.
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Happy Mothers’ Day
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This recipe has been added to your Meal Plan
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| Servings | Prep Time |
| 3 servings | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 50 minutes |
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- 200 g black-eyed beans dried
- 1 onion
- 20 g ginger fresh chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 10 g coriander fresh
- 2 tsps curry powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 0.5 lemon juice only
- 300 ml water
- 350 ml tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- Place the dried beans in a pan and add one litre of water to the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 30 - 35 minutes until the beans is soft. Drain and set aside.
- Place the onions, ginger, garlic, coriander, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, paprika, and lemon juice in a blender. Add 100 mls of water and blend to a smooth puree. Set aside.
- To a hot dutch oven, add one tablespoon of peanut oil and then fry the curry puree. Fry the puree on medium heat for between 3 to 5 minutes or until the puree is "dry", stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Once the puree is sufficiently dry, add the tomato sauce and 200 mls of water. Add the vegetable stock cube, cover and bring the sauce to boil. Then reduce heat to low-medium and simmer with the lid partially covered for 30 minutes.
- Add the cooked beans to the sauce. Use a fork to mash some of the cooked beans, then add the beans to the sauce. Continue to simmer with the lid partially covered for another 10 - 15 minutes.
- Serve with some chopped coriander and chopped peanuts.
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Is this recipe right for you?
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Please let me know how it turned out for you. Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #africaonyourplate
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Afro-fusion Food Lover.
Sustainable Food Advocate.
Completely nuts about Avocado.
