Ewa riro — beans stewed with red palm oil

🫘 Tender beans coated in a red pepper, onion and red palm oil sauce, with ground dried crayfish. A family dish associated with Yoruba cooking.

Ingredients

• 400 g dried black-eyed peas or Nigerian brown beans
• 2 medium onions, about 250 g, divided between beans and sauce
• 1 large red bell pepper, about 200 g, deseeded
• ½–1 small fresh chilli, optional and adjusted to strength
• 60 ml unrefined red palm oil
• 15 g ground dried crayfish or ground small dried shrimp
• 1.5 litres water to start, plus hot water as needed
• About ½ tsp salt, adjusted at the end

Preparation

Sort the beans, removing stones and damaged grains. Rinse and place in a pot with one sliced onion and 1.5 litres water.

Bring to a boil, then simmer steadily, partly covered, for about 60–75 minutes until easily crushed. Add hot water as needed and do not let the pot dry.

Meanwhile blend the pepper, optional chilli and half the second onion with 2–3 tbsp water. Slice the remaining onion.

Warm the palm oil gently in another pan without smoking or bleaching it. Cook the sliced onion for 4–5 minutes.

Carefully add the blended pepper mixture. Cook over medium-low heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring, until the raw pepper smell is gone.

Once the beans are tender, retain enough liquid to coat them and reserve any excess in a bowl. Stir in the sauce and ground crayfish.

Simmer together for 10 minutes over low heat, stirring gently. Crush a small portion of beans against the side to thicken. Add reserved liquid if too thick.

Taste and adjust salt. Rest 5 minutes and serve hot. Extend the initial cooking if the beans remain firm; total time varies.