MARAHAGE

  • 6-7 carrots, grated
  • 6 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 8-10 cloves of garlic,  minced (we use a lot, feel free to use less)
  • 1 medium onion, diced (I like to used red)
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 3/4-1 c extra-crunchy peanut butter
  • 1/8-1/4 t cayenne pepper, or a teaspoon of your favorite minced red chili
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 cans red beans, drained lightly, or 2 c. cooked
  • 1 can pinto beans, undrained, or 2 c. cooked
  • 4 T salted butter
  • Cooked rice
  • Chapatis or your choice of flat bread

Over medium-high heat, melt butter in your favorite stew pot. Add onion, garlic and carrots, saute until lightly soft and aroma of onion is released. Add tomatoes, cover, and stirr occasionally, until they are cooking down–about 7 minutes. Add the beans one can or cup at a time, then stir in coconut milk and red pepper. Heat until bubbly again, then add peanut butter, stirring until dissolved. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may want more peanut butter or cayenne. When you’re tasting testing is done, bon appetit! Serve with long-white or brown rice, and your choice of flat bread.

This stew both reheats and freezes well. Note that you will have to adjust seasoning levels if using the grind-your-own peanut butter, by adding a smidge of sugar. I actually use Jiff Extra-Crunchy for this recipe, because the flavor is consistent.

Akara with kosayi (African dipping sauce)

Akara . 500g Black eyed beans . Water . Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying . Herbs of choice, optional . 1 tsp baking powder, optional

African Dipping Sauce . 500g or 9 Baby red capsicums
90g or 3 long red hot chillies . 30g or 7 small red hot or habanera* chillies
2 tbsp vegetable oil . 75g sugar . 75 ml white vinegar
1 tsp salt . Olive oil
*If replacing the 7 small hot chillies (with habanera chillies) you must remove the seeds and veins before blanching them in boiling water.

Akara
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, tip in the beans and maintain a steady boil for 1-2 mins in order to loosen the skins of the beans. Strain the beans Lay a clean tea-towel on the work surface and spread the beans on it, cover with a second tea-towel. Roll the beans in the towels using palms of your hands. In a short time most of the beans will have shed their skins. Remove any skins that remain by rubbing the beans between your thumb and forefinger. To ensure all skins are removed; tip the beans in a large pot, add a lot of water and swirl around in a circular motion and skins should rise to the top Place skinless beans in a food processor (or pound with a mortar and pestle) and blend into a very fine paste so there are no lumps. Knead the paste then divide into two equal parts. Place one part of the paste into a bowl over a simmering pot of water, stirring continuously with a rubber spatula until it gets a dough-like consistency. Take great care that the mixture does not cook or curdle….briefly taking the bowl off the simmering pot of water from time to time – with continued stirring will help the thinning process. When the paste is even in its consistency, mix in the reserved bean dough and continue stirring on the simmering water for about 1 minute. Then take the bowl off the heat continuing to stir until mixture is cooled to room temperature. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and additional herbs of choice (you can even add baking powder if you want a lighter texture) Shape into fritters (whatever shape you desire) Fry the fritters in oil (either shallow or deep fry). As an interesting alternative; you can wrap in banana leaves and steam them. Kosayi (African Dipping Sauce )A good kosayi should be not too hot, you can just feel the heat. The mixture will keep for about 6 months in the refrigerator - the older it gets the better it tastes.Place the chillies and the whole capsicums in a large pot of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 min or until soft. Cover, turn off the heat and set aside to cool. Drain and seed both chilli and capsicum, then peel the capsicum. Place in a food processor and blend to a creamy paste.Press mixture through a fine strainer to remove any remaining skin.
Stir in sugar, oil, salt and white vinegar then place in a jar and allow at least 2 days to mature.

African Jerk Rub

INGREDIENTS:

One whole white onion, chopped
Six green onions, chopped
Two Jalapeno peppers, chopped
One Scotch bonnet pepper(or Habanero), seeded
Two teaspoons salt
Two teaspoons chopped garlic
One and one-half teaspoons allspice
One teaspoon dried thyme
One teaspoon dried oregano
One teaspoon ground cumin
One teaspoon black pepper
One-half teaspoon nutmeg
One-half teaspoon cinammon
One-quarter teaspoon ground cloves


Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add just enough water to loosen it up. Rub the jerk seasoning all over the chicken, letting it marinate at least 4 hours, and better yet, overnight, before smoking it until tender.