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Ghana, Middle East and Africa · Red-Red (Ghanaian Bean Stew with Fried Plantain)

Red-Red Shakshuka with Crispy Plantain (Ghanaian x North African)

Black-eyed beans simmered in a palm-oil red-red sauce with peppers and spices, eggs poached on top shakshuka-style and a scatter of crispy fried plantain.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time35 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsEggs with runny yolks are not fully cooked. For pregnant women, young children, older people or anyone with a weakened immune system, cook until the yolks are firm.

Method

  1. Peel the plantain and cut it into 1 cm cubes. Heat the oil in a 18 cm pan on medium heat (about 170 °C) and fry the plantain for , turning, until caramel-brown and crisp outside, then lift onto kitchen paper. Watch for spitting oil.

    Add in this stepRipe plantain 1Vegetable oil (for frying the plantain) 150 ml

    medium heat

  2. Warm the palm oil in a 20 cm lidded frying pan on medium heat, add the finely chopped onion and pepper and cook for , until soft.

    Add in this stepRed palm oil 1½ tbspOnion 1Red bell pepper ½

    medium heat

  3. Add the chopped garlic, finely chopped Scotch bonnet, cumin and smoked paprika and stir for , until fragrant. Keep stirring so the spices don't burn.

    Add in this stepGarlic cloves 2Scotch bonnet chilli (or habanero) ¼Ground cumin ¾ tspSmoked paprika ¾ tsp

  4. Add the tomatoes, beans and salt and simmer on medium-low heat for , until thick enough that a spoon dragged across the base leaves a trail for a moment. Lightly crushing a few beans makes it richer.

    Add in this stepCanned chopped tomatoes 400 gCooked black-eyed beans (canned, drained) 240 gSalt ½ tsp

    medium-low heat

  5. Make a hollow in the sauce for each egg with a spoon and crack in the eggs one by one. Cover and cook on low heat for , until the whites are completely set and the yolks still runny. For firm yolks, cook 3–4 minutes longer.

    Add in this stepEggs 4

    low heat

  6. Turn off the heat, scatter over the fried plantain and chopped coriander and bring the pan to the table. Mop up the sauce with bread.

    Add in this stepFresh coriander (cilantro) 5 g

Cook's tip

To use dried beans, soak them overnight, boil until tender and use the same weight. No Scotch bonnet? Adjust the heat with chilli flakes. Without palm oil, use olive oil and a little extra smoked paprika.

Cooking it at camp

Made with canned ingredients in one pan, this is an ideal camp breakfast. Use a heavy or cast-iron pan on the burner, and once the eggs are in, cook covered over a low flame. Fry the plantain first, then wipe out the pan. Keep the eggs in the cooler.