Red Red (Ghanaian Black-Eyed Bean Stew) with Fried Plantain

Ingredients

• 800 g tinned black-eyed beans
• 5 tbsp red palm oil
• 2 onions
• 400 g chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 scotch bonnet chilli
• 20 g fresh root ginger
• 3 garlic cloves
• 4 ripe plantain
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. 1

   Heat the red palm oil in a large pan over a medium heat (if your world food aisle has no palm oil, use vegetable oil with 1 tsp sweet paprika for colour). Add the chopped onions and fry for 8 minutes until soft.

2. 2

   Stir in the grated ginger, crushed garlic and finely chopped scotch bonnet (deseeded for less heat) and cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato purée and fry for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until thick.

3. 3

   Drain and rinse the black-eyed beans, add them with 150ml water and simmer for 10-15 minutes, mashing a few beans against the side of the pan to thicken the stew. Season with salt.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, cut the ends off the plantains, slit the skins lengthways and peel. Slice on the diagonal about 1cm thick.

5. 5

   Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the plantain in batches for 2-3 minutes each side until deep golden. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.

6. 6

   Serve the red red in bowls with the fried plantain alongside.