Oleleh

Name: Oleleh
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 155 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Sierra Leone
Ingredients: 300 g dry black-eyed peas; 100 g roughly chopped onion; 30 ml food-grade red palm oil including a little for moulds; 180 ml drinking water for blending, plus up to 40 ml if needed; A little fresh chilli, optional; Up to ½ teaspoon salt; Drinking water for soaking, rinsing and steaming

🌿 Eight savoury steamed black-eyed-pea puddings with onion and red palm oil, a plant-based ramekin version.

Ingredients

300 g dry black-eyed peas
100 g roughly chopped onion
30 ml food-grade red palm oil including a little for moulds
180 ml drinking water for blending, plus up to 40 ml if needed
A little fresh chilli, optional
Up to ½ teaspoon salt
Drinking water for soaking, rinsing and steaming

Preparation

Soak peas in cold water in the refrigerator one hour. Rub to remove skins, rinse repeatedly and drain. Active peeling time is included in the forty-minute preparation.

Use about 2 ml from the 30 ml oil to grease eight 120 ml steam-safe ramekins. Heat steamer water.

Blend peeled peas, onion, optional chilli, 180 ml water and salt into smooth thick spoonable batter. Add up to 40 ml extra water gradually only if needed.

Mix in remaining palm oil and beat two minutes. Divide between ramekins, filling no more than three quarters. Cover each with suitable lid or foil kept off the batter.

Steam covered over simmering water forty-five minutes. Keep water below the basket and replenish with hot water if needed.

Check a centre is fully set, with no raw or floury batter. Steam five to ten minutes longer if necessary. Rest ten minutes, unmould carefully and serve hot.