Nigerian Beans Porridge is a traditional Nigerian recipe for a classic vegetarian dish of black-eyed beans with crayfish, onions, hot chillies cooked with yam, plantains or sweet potatoes in a red palm oil base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Nigerian version of: Nigerian Beans Porridge.
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Ingredients
750g black-eyed beans
9 tbsp red palm oil
60g dried prawns (crayfish)
3 medium onions, finely chopped
3 hot chillies (typically Scotch bonnets)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
3 Maggi (or stock) cubes, to taste
500g yam, plantains or sweet potatoes (or a mix), peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
Method:
Wash and pick over the beans. Place in a large bowl, cover with plenty of water and set aside to soak over night. The following day, drain the beans, place in a pan, cover with water then bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, then drain and discard the water.
Wash the beans in cold water then set aside. Grind the dried prawns and chillies to make a paste. Now place the beans in a pan and add enough cold water to just cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 50 minutes, or until tender (top-up the water as needed).
When the beans begin to break down and form a porridge add the onions and crayfish mix then season to taste and stir in the stock cubes. Add the cubes of yam, plantains or sweet potatoes, cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes more, or until the vegetables are tender. About 5 minutes before everything is due to be ready add the red palm oil.
Take off the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon, turn into a bowl and serve accompanied by fried plantain, fried yam or fried sweet potatoes.
