Red Red (Bean Stew with Fried Plantain)

Name: Red Red (Bean Stew with Fried Plantain)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 9 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: West & East African
Ingredients: 300 g dried black-eyed beans, soaked overnight and drained; 100 ml red palm oil; 2 Onion, finely chopped; 3 cloves Garlic, grated; 3 cm piece Ginger, peeled and grated; 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, finely chopped; use half for less heat; 4 Tomato, blended or finely chopped; 1 tbsp Tomato purée (paste); 250 ml vegetable stock; 1 tsp salt, or to taste; 2 tbsp Ground crayfish (optional); 3 ripe plantains (yellow with black spots), peeled and sliced on the diagonal; vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Ghana's favourite comfort plate: black-eyed beans stewed in red palm oil and tomato, piled next to sweet fried plantain.

West & East African · Mains · prep 15 min · cook 1 h 15 min · waiting 8 h · serves 4 · Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, Pescatarian

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Ingredients

300 g dried black-eyed beans, soaked overnight and drained
100 ml red palm oil
2 Onion, finely chopped
3 cloves Garlic, grated
3 cm piece Ginger, peeled and grated
1 Scotch bonnet chilli, finely chopped; use half for less heat
4 Tomato, blended or finely chopped
1 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
250 ml vegetable stock
1 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp Ground crayfish (optional)
3 ripe plantains (yellow with black spots), peeled and sliced on the diagonal
vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Method

Put the soaked beans in a pot, cover with fresh water by 5 cm and bring to the boil. Simmer for 40–50 min, until soft but still holding their shape. Drain, keeping a cup of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, warm the palm oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 6–8 min, until soft and golden.
Stir in the garlic, ginger and scotch bonnet and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 10 min, stirring now and then, until thick and the oil glistens on top.
Tip in the beans, stock, salt and crayfish, if using. Simmer gently for 10–15 min, lightly crushing a few beans against the pan so the stew turns creamy. Loosen with bean water if it gets too thick.
While the stew finishes, heat 1 cm of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the plantain in batches for 2–3 min per side, until deep golden. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
Taste the beans for salt and heat, then serve with the plantain on the side (a sprinkle of gari on top is classic).

Tips

Ground crayfish adds a deep savoury note but makes it no longer vegetarian or vegan; leave it out for a plant-based plate.
Short on time? Use 2 tins of black-eyed beans, drained, and skip the first step.
Wear gloves to cut or blend scotch bonnets, keep your hands away from your eyes and wash the board, knife and blender well afterwards.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food My Diaspora Kitchen Travel & Munchies

Open Red Red (Bean Stew with Fried Plantain) in Nouns Cooking