Plantain and Beans by Michel Chikwanine
Plantain and Beans, an economical and easily achievable dish found in several African countries.
Today, here is a Congolese-inspired approach to this recipe.
A Congolese inspired approach to plantain bananas and red beans. Typically the beans marinate in tomato sauce, accompanied by the fried plantains. This meal is commonly enjoyed as cozy comfort food for Congolese families.
Michel Chikwanine presents to us here this recipe which he kept from his childhood and which his mother liked to prepare.
Recipe
SERVINGS
About 5 people
TIME
2 hours
ORIGIN
Congo
Ingredients
2 medium tomatoes
1 large onion (chopped)
2 cloves of pressed garlic
1 tablespoon of Paprika
100ml Olive oil or vegetable oil
2 chillies (optional)
Salt to taste (1 Maggi seasoning cube)
500g red beans or two 16-ounce cans of black beans
4 very ripe plantains
Vegetable oil (for deep frying)
Some salt and/or pepper
Cooking directions
- Wash and soak beans in cold water for 1 hour.
- Then, in a large pot and using 2 litres of water, boil your beans. The pot should be partially closed.
- After 5 minutes, reduce the heat and simmer the beans for 1.5 hours, or until they are soft (mushy even). If more water is needed during the boil, add only boiling water to it.
- When the beans have cooked, drain them in a colander and set aside.
- In another pot, heat the oil and add the onions, garlic, chillies and ginger.
- After 3 minutes, stir in the mashed tomatoes and add your salt and pepper and/or seasoning cube.
- Add water and cook for 10 minutes before stirring in the beans. Cook, stirring intermittently for 15 more minutes. Now they are ready for serving.
- Cut both ends and cut through skin length-wise. Peel. Cut into diagonal pieces.
- Season with a bit of salt and pepper (optional).
- Heat oil and when it is hot, fry the plantain pieces.
- Toss them occasionally to ensure all are cooked.
- When they are all brown, remove and drain in kitchen paper. Serve.
