Vegan
Gluten freeNjahi
Black beans mashed with banana
Njahi: Kikuyu black lablab beans slow-cooked and mashed with ripe banana
Kikuyu families in Kiambu, Murang'a and Nyeri cook a big pot of njahi for a woman who has just given birth, and visitors bring the beans as a gift; the dish is said to build strength and milk. The beans are small, glossy black lablab beans, simmered for a long time until creamy, then mashed with ripe bananas so the result is dark, soft and gently sweet against the savoury onion and tomato. Look for dried njahi at African grocers (sometimes labelled black dolichos or black lablab beans); black turtle beans are the closest swap and cook a little faster, but skipping the overnight soak is the classic error with either: unsoaked beans stay chalky even after hours. Eat it warm with a cup of tea, or as a main with greens. Chef's tip: choose bananas with brown freckles but still firm; overripe black ones make the mash taste like dessert.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 135 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 360 kcal
Ingredients
- 14 oz dried njahi (black lablab beans)or black turtle beans; soaked overnight in plenty of cold water
- 8 ¼ cups waterfor boiling
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionschopped
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 3 ripe bananasyellow with brown freckles, peeled and sliced
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 handful fresh coriander (dhania) (optional)chopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Search Amazon for the rest
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 14 oz dried njahi (black lablab beans), rinse them and put them in a large pot with 8 ¼ cups water. Bring to a rolling boil over a high heat and boil hard for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Lower the heat, half-cover and simmer, topping up with hot water so the beans stay covered, until they are completely soft and creamy inside when you squash one. Njahi take about 1 hour 45 minutes; black turtle beans about 1 hour 15 minutes.
105 minStep 3: Drain the beans, keeping about 250 ml of the cooking liquid.
Step 4: In a wide pan, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium heat and fry 2 onions until deep golden, stirring often.
8 minStep 6: Add 3 ripe bananas and stir for 2–3 minutes, until they start to soften and smell sweet.
3 minStep 7: Tip in the beans and 1 ½ tsp salt with a splash of the cooking liquid. Mash with a potato masher or a sturdy wooden spoon over a low heat until mostly smooth with some beans left whole, adding more liquid until it is soft and spoonable.
5 minStep 8: Taste for salt, stir in 1 handful fresh coriander (dhania) and serve warm. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and reheats well with a splash of water.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 15 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does njahi take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 135 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Chana masala
A North Indian staple that comes together from the store cupboard. Toasted cumin, slow-softened onion and a good spoonful of garam masala give tinned chickpeas real depth. Serve with rice, naan or a stack of warm rotis.
Indian
Kaju curryCashew curry
Walk along any wedding buffet in Pune, Mumbai or Ahmedabad and there is usually a chafing dish of kaju curry near the paneer, with guests going back for seconds. Whole cashews are fried in ghee until golden, which makes them crunchy outside and buttery inside, then folded into a rich onion and tomato gravy thickened with more cashews, finished with cream and kasuri methi. The gravy is orange, smooth and rounded with a touch of sweetness; it should taste of roasted nuts and gentle spice, not fire. Gujarati restaurants often serve a spicier Kathiyawadi version, but the wedding style here is the mild one. Eat it with butter naan, tandoori roti or jeera rice. Common mistake: adding the fried cashews too early; they soak up the gravy and turn soft, so fold them in just before serving. Chef's tip: keep a few fried cashews back and scatter them on top at the table so every spoonful has some crunch.
Sayur lodehVegetables in coconut milk
Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
Indonesian