Bowl of Swahili Beans
(click to enlarge)

Swahili Beans


Africa, Tanzania   -   Maharage ya Nazi

Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  
4 side
**
1 day
Yes
Probably the tastiest beans you will ever find, and easy to make. This recipe can serve as a side dish for four or, with a couple Chipatis, a light lunch for two.

1
8
3
2/3
1
1
1
ar
2/3

c
oz
oz
in
T
c
T

t

Red Beans (1)  
Tomatoes
Onion
Ginger Root
Cilantro
Coconut Milk
Oil
Water
Salt

Do Ahead   -   (8 hrs - 4 min work)
  1. Soak BEANS beans, mixed with 1/2 T Salt, overnight (7 hours or more). Drain and rinse.
Prep   -   (15 min)
  1. Scald TOMATOES one minute in boiling water. Quench in cold water and peel. Chop small.
  2. Chop ONION small.
  3. Slice GINGER very thin crosswise, then cut slices into threads and chop fine.
  4. Chop CILANTRO small.
Run   -   (1-1/4 hrs)
  1. Place Beans in a saucepan with water to cover about an inch. Bring to a boil uncovered, turn down to a simmer and simmer until Beans are tender but still intact, 45 minutes to an hour depending. Drain (see Note-2).
  2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan (2 quart), heat Oil. Stir in Onions and fry stirring until lightly browned.
  3. Stir in Ginger and fry stirring 1 minute.
  4. Stir in Tomatoes and cook stirring often until they are well softened (10 minutes).
  5. Stir in Cilantro, Beans, Salt and Coconut Milk. Add sufficient water to be level with the tops of the beans. Their tops should just show. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. The liquid should finish about level with the tops of the beans, but it will look higher while it is cooking. Adjust as needed.
  6. Serve hot in shallow bowls. Living in Southern California, I add a sprinkle of Chili Powder, but that isn't in the pattern recipe.
NOTES:
  1. Red Beans:

      My preference is for Red Kidney Beans, but small Red Beans are also used in Tanzania. See that your beans are not more than a year old or they won't cook tender.
  2. Draining:

      Recipes may call for using the bean cooking liquid as the liquid for the dish. This would make for a more "beany" flavor, but discarding the cooking liquid removes some of the indigestible sugars, reducing the fartability of the beans.
  3. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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