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Ibiharage
Ibiharage: Rwandan and Burundian boiled beans fried with onion and garlic
Beans are eaten almost every day in Rwanda and Burundi, and ibiharage is the version that feels like a treat: beans boiled until creamy, drained, then fried with plenty of onion and garlic in oil, traditionally red palm oil, until they are glossy and lightly crisp at the edges. Palm oil gives an orange colour and a deep, almost savoury-floral flavour; vegetable oil gives a cleaner taste. A Kigali lunch canteen will put it next to fried plantain, rice and a cabbage salad. People often fry the beans too wet, so they steam instead of taking colour; drain them well first. Chef's tip: save a ladle of the bean cooking water and add a splash at the end to make the beans silky without washing off the fried onion.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz dried red or speckled sugar beanssoaked overnight
- 8 ¼ cups waterfor boiling
- 4 tbsp red palm oilor vegetable oil
- 2 onionssliced
- 4 garlic clovesfinely chopped
- 1 tomatochopped
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: The night before, soak 14 oz dried red or speckled sugar beans in plenty of cold water for 8–12 hours.
Step 2: Drain and rinse the beans, put them in a large pot with 8 ¼ cups water and boil hard over a high heat for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, until the beans are creamy all the way through and crush easily against the side of the pot.
50 minStep 4: Stir in half of ¾ tsp salt, then drain the beans, saving a ladleful of the cooking water. Let them steam dry in the colander for a few minutes.
Step 5: Heat 4 tbsp red palm oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat and fry 2 onions until soft and deep golden.
10 minStep 6: Add 4 garlic cloves and ½ tsp chilli flakes if using and stir for 1 minute, then add 1 tomato and cook until it melts into the onions.
3 minStep 7: Add the beans and the rest of ¾ tsp salt and fry, turning gently, until they are glossy and some catch and brown lightly at the edges.
6 minStep 8: Add a splash of the saved bean water, stir once and serve hot with fried plantain or rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 20 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ibiharage take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 80 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 onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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