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Akidi (Igbo black beans with plantain)
Akidi: Igbo black beans boiled soft and cooked with palm oil, pepper, onion and ripe plantain
Akidi, a small, glossy black bean, is a quiet staple of Igbo home cooking around Enugu, Anambra and Imo, cooked like beans porridge and usually with ripe plantain for sweetness. After a long simmer the beans turn creamy inside while holding their shape, and they are finished with palm oil, onion, scotch bonnet and a handful of fragrant leaves, so the pot tastes earthy, sweet and peppery. It is a filling meal on its own, often eaten with a cold drink or a side of fried plantain. If you cannot find akidi, black turtle beans are a good substitute. Chef's tip: add the plantain only for the last 15 minutes; put in at the start, it dissolves into the beans, which is the usual mistake.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz akidi beansor black turtle beans, soaked overnight
- 8 ¼ cups waterplus extra
- 2 ripe plantainsyellow with black spots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 5 tbsp red palm oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 2 scotch bonnet chillieschopped
- 1 vegetable stock cubecrumbled
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅓ oz scent leaves (optional)nchanwu, shredded; or basil
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 14 oz akidi beans, put them in a large pot with 8 ¼ cups water and bring to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 10 minutes, skimming the foam.
15 minStep 2: Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour–1 hour 15 minutes, topping up with boiling water, until the beans are soft enough to crush with a spoon.
70 minStep 3: Add 2 ripe plantains, 1 onion, 2 scotch bonnet chillies and enough water to just cover. Simmer for 15 minutes until the plantain is soft but still holds its shape.
15 minStep 4: Stir in 5 tbsp red palm oil, 1 vegetable stock cube and 1 tsp salt and simmer, uncovered, for 5–10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a thick, orange-tinted sauce around the beans.
8 minStep 5: Scatter over ⅓ oz scent leaves and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbs
- 92 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 20 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does akidi (Igbo black beans with plantain) take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 105 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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