Plantain and Bean Porridge (Ewa Riro)
A hearty West African one-pot dish of soft-cooked black-eyed peas simmered with ripe plantains, tomatoes, palm oil, and crayfish seasoning for a smoky, deeply savory meal.
Ingredients
- 2 cans black-eyed peas (or cooked from dried, 15 oz), drained, rinsed
- 2 ripe plantain (yellow to black skin), peeled, sliced
- 4 tomatoes plum tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes), chopped
- 1 onion red onion, diced
- 1 pepper scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, minced
- 2 tbsp red palm oil (or substitute vegetable oil)
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tsp dried crayfish powder (or 1 tsp fish-free umami powder for vegan)
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbled
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups fresh spinach (or frozen, thawed), roughly chopped
Instructions
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1
Heat 2 tbsp red palm oil (or substitute vegetable oil) in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until melted and shimmering.
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2
Add 1 onion diced red onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add 1 pepper minced scotch bonnet or habanero pepper and cook 1 minute more.
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3
Add 4 tomatoes chopped plum tomatoes (or 1 can diced tomatoes) and cook, stirring and pressing to break them down, until the mixture thickens into a paste, about 5 minutes.
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4
Stir in 2 cans drained, rinsed black-eyed peas (or cooked from dried, 15 oz), 2 cups vegetable stock, 2 tsp dried crayfish powder (or 1 tsp fish-free umami powder for vegan), 1 crumbled vegetable bouillon cube, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix well.
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5
Add 2 peeled, sliced ripe plantain (yellow to black skin), pressing them gently into the stew. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until the plantains are very tender and the stew has thickened.
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6
Stir in 2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach (or frozen, thawed) and cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.