We really like the taste of porridge beans especially when it is made with ripe plantain. Apart from the taste, the nutritional value of the meal cannot be overemphasized. Beans pack a lot of fiber. Fiber helps your body feel full, so you don’t need to eat as much throughout the day. While current dietary guidelines recommend women get about 25 grams of fiber a day, many fall short. On average, women consume just 12.1 to 13.8 grams a day.Look to beans to help you reach your goal. Just a half cup of cooked navy beans contains nearly 10 grams of fiber.

 

Ingredients

  • 400 grams Nigerian Brown Beans or Black Eyed Peas
  • 3 fingers of Ripe and Firm Plantains
  • 3 medium Smoked Dry Fishes
  • 350 mls Lightly Seasoned Beef Stock
  • 3 tsp Salt
  • 3 tbsp Ground Dry Crayfish
  • 350 mls Nosak Fmili Palm Oil
  • 3 large Red Scotch Bonnets (Rodo)
  • 2 medium Onions (Chopped finely)
  • 1 medium ginger (Peeled and grated smooth)
  • 100 grams Ugu (Fluted Pumpkin leaves, thoroughly washed and chopped finely)

Instructions

  1. Using the quick soak method, sort/pick the beans and rinse before cooking. Place the beans in a large saucepan with about 1 liter to 1.5 liters of water. Bring to a rapid boil on medium-high heat; boil 5 more minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain, discard the water used in soaking and then rinse the beans.
  2. Add about 1.2 liters of fresh water to the beans. Cover and bring just to boiling on medium-high heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer gently with lid tilted for about 1-1/2 hours or until soft and tender, stirring occasionally. Stir very little to prevent breaking of skins. Feel free to add water a little at a time if needed, during cook time.
  3. About 20 minutes to the end of the cooking time, gently stir in plantain, dry fish, salt and crayfish and continue to cook. Meanwhile, pour the palm oil into a saucepan and place on medium heat and immediately add the chopped scotch bonnets, onions and grated ginger. Fry for about 12 minutes stirring occasionally, then turn off heat. Immediately pour the palm oil fry into the beans and stir gently until thoroughly combined. Stir in chopped Ugu leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning, take off the heat and serve.