← Nouns Cooking · West & East African

Ingredients

• 250 g dried black-eyed beans
• 6 Waakye leaves (dried sorghum leaves) (optional)
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (if you have no leaves) (optional)
• 400 g jasmine or long-grain rice
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tbsp Coconut oil (optional)

Method

1. Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water, then drain and rinse.
2. Put the beans in a large pot with 1.2 litres of water and the waakye leaves (or the bicarbonate of soda). Bring to the boil, then simmer for 35–40 min until the beans are just tender but still whole and the liquid is deep red.
3. Rinse the rice in several changes of water until it runs nearly clear.
4. Add the rice, salt and coconut oil to the beans. The liquid should sit about 1 cm above the rice; top up with water if needed.
5. Bring back to the boil, cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 20–25 min until the rice is soft and the liquid is absorbed. Lift out the leaves.
6. Rest, covered, for 5 min, then fluff with a fork. Serve with shito, tomato stew, fried plantain, boiled eggs, gari and a little spaghetti, as Accra street vendors do.

Tips

• Waakye leaves (dried sorghum stalks) are sold in African shops. Bicarbonate is a shortcut for colour; do not add more, or the beans taste soapy.
• Cool leftover rice quickly and refrigerate within an hour.

Sources

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

Eat Well Abi Travel & Munchies