African Bean Soup

Yoruba ethnic group from the Southwestern part of Nigeria call this traditional soup ‘Gbegiri’

Most of the ingredients can be got at ethnic Nigerian or African food markets

Ingredients:

To serve 4 people

Beans - 2 cups of size of small tinned milk

Dried crayfish - 2-table spoonful

Beef - 1kg

African snail – 4 medium size

Dried fish – 1 large size

‘Stock’ (cod) fish (dried) – 4 pieces or medium size

Dried pepper or ground chilly pepper – to taste (depending on your palate)

Seasoning – your choice of brand –2 cubes

West African Palm-oil – 1 cooking spoon

Large pepper – 2 large size

Tomatoes – 2 medium size

Onion – 1 medium size

Salt – a pinch to taste

Water – as –required

Serve hot

The ingredients: Red pepper, tomatoes and onions, pieces or chunks of boiled beef, red palm-oil, dried crayfish, smoked catfish, ground and dry pepper, salt plus 3cubes of food seasoning, pieces of boiled African snail and pieces dried of 'stock' fish and the washed beans with the skin peeled at the centre.
(To save time, have the mixture of your ground tomatoes, onions and pepper in a blender to a smooth paste prior to the following steps)

1st step: The beans would have been soaked in water for about 5min to soften the skin. Then rubbing very hard against the palm of the hands continuously will peel off the skin.

2nd step: Sieve the peeled beans of their skin several times until the skin is completely removed.

3rd Step: Put the beans in the pot and allow proper cooking for about 40 minutes until it is soft and cooked, adding water when necessary. (With a pressure cooker it might be faster). Then when it is soft, get a wooden blender to mash the beans-while it is still cooking on fire-to a paste adding bits of water to prevent burning as you do this continuously.

4th Step: Once a paste is established add all the ingredients including palm-oil, salt and food seasoning to taste at reduced heat. 2 minutes after, the soup is ready.

The Bean Soup can be served hot as starters or as a compliment with the main menu as done by the Yoruba ethnic group of Southwetsern Nigeria in Africa who take it with rice, foofoo or eba -both made from cassava processed flour.

Muyiwa Osifuye

I have prepared an illustrative free photo essay that accompanies this delicacy to show how the soup is prepared.

You can ask for this in my newsletter at http://www.pictures-of-nigeria.com