My parents are Nigerian. Growing up we used to eat a lot of rice and beans to give us that energy. Plantain are tropical fruits that grow on trees. They’re quite similar to bananas but they’re a bit bigger. They’re full of flavours: sweet, tasty and you can have them with anything you eat.
Ingredients
1 tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tin black eyed beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 pepper, cored and sliced
½ tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tbsp. all purpose seasoning
300g water
2 plantains
400g vegetable oil
Method
1. In saucepan with a little oil fry the onions, peppers and garlic for five minutes until soft
2. Next add the chilli, nutmeg, all-purpose seasoning, black pepper and the water and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding the beans.
3. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the beans are soft
4. For the plantain, peel the plantain and cut into bite sizes
5. In a frying pan, heat the remaining oil and add the chopped plantain portions into oil, frying on each side until golden brown. Repeat same process until all fried.
6. Pour the oil into a large saucepan, bring to a light simmer and deep fry the plantain until they are brown and cooked through.
7. Cook fresh rice and serve with the beans and plantain.
Emmanuel’s jollof beans with fried plantain: you’d be bananas not to try it
In response to the pandemic, BreadnButter has established an emergency food hub for Barnet and Edmonton, producing and distributing free Meal Kits. With help from Exposure, BreadnButter has launched an accompanying YouTube channel – run by local youth – showing how to make the meals.
For more details of the project contact enquiries @ breadnbutter.org.uk.
In partnership with BreadnButter, a social enterprise that teaches the basic life skills of cooking and sustainable healthy independent living.
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