31. Benin

Akkra Funfun

Country: Benin 
Course: Sides 
Makes: 6 to 8 servings 

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup dried white beans
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onions
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• oil for frying (two parts peanut oil, one part red palm oil)

Directions:

1. Soak the beans overnight. Then rinse and drain well.
2. Now put the beans, water and salt into a blender. Pulse until smooth.
3. Fold in the onion and cayenne pepper.
4. Heat the oil over a hot flame. Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls and let fry until they turn golden brown, then drain on a paper towel. Serve hot.

Peanut Soup with FuFu

Ingredients

cost per recipe: $8.42

• 2
  tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2
  large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 2
  large carrot, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1
  tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/4
  teaspoon ground red pepper
• 6
  cups Swanson® Chicken Broth or Swanson® Organic Chicken Broth orSwanson® Natural Goodness® Chicken Broth
• 2
  large sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
• 1
  cup creamy creamy peanut butter
• 1/3
  cup sliced green onionor chives
• 1/3
  cup chopped dry roasted salted peanuts

• How to Make It

  
  

  Step 1

  Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and ginger and cook until they’re tender-crisp. Add the red pepper and cook for 1 minute.

  Step 2

  Stir the broth and sweet potatoes in the saucepot. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the peanut butter.

  Step 3

  Place 1/3 of the broth mixture in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat the blending process twice more with the remaining broth mixture. Return all of the puréed mixture to the saucepot. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot. Season to taste. Divide the soup among 8 serving bowls. Top each serving of soup with the green onions and peanuts.

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West African Fufu

Fufu is gluten-free and 100% vegan, great for dipping in to your favourite African stew, soup or curry.

 Course Side Dish

 Prep Time 5 minutes

 Cook Time 30 minutes

 Total Time 40 minutes

 Servings 6

 Calories 210 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 large cassava (yuca root)
• 1 tbsp dairy-free butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Boil your cassava with the skin on until soft (20-30 minutes). Test with a sharp knife that it goes all the way through.
2. Drain and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Peel the cassava and chop into large pieces.
4. Add dairy-free butter and seasoning then mash together well.
5. Wet your hands and form large balls with your fufu. Serve with a traditional african soup.

Recipe Notes

• Feel free to experiment with spices for a desired taste, perhaps add a pinch of garlic and onion powder.

Boulets de Poulet avec Sauce Rouge (Chicken Meatballs with Red Sauce)

Country: Benin 

Course: Main 

Makes: 6 servings 

 

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, cut up, deboned and diced
• 3/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 habanero pepper, minced
• 1 bunch of green onions, washed and chopped
• 4 onions, peeled and chopped
• 6 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, de-seeded and chopped
• 1 cup red palm oil
• salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Take about half of the peanut butter and mix it with a little bit of hot water. It should still be a paste, but it should be just thin enough so you can stir it. Set aside.
2. Take the remaining peanut butter, the chicken, the habanero, the green onions and salt and put them in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
3. Shape the mixture into meatballs.
4. Chop the blanched tomatoes and the onions and toss them with the peanut butter/water paste.
5. Melt the palm oil in a pan and fry the meatballs in the palm oil until they are nicely golden all over.
6. Add the onion, tomato and peanut butter mixture. Cover the pan and reduce the temperature to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or so, then remove the lid and check the internal temperature of the meatballs (they should be at 165 degrees or higher).

Fried Yam and Potatoes

Fried Yam with Red Hot Sauce

Root vegetables are abundant in Benin. Fried yams and potatoes is found pretty much anywhere food is served and that includes street food. The vegetables are cut into thick strips (Think steak potatoes wedges) and are put into salted water until an order is placed. It is then fried for about 10 mn and sprinkled with salt before serving. Most seller can serve it with red plan nut oil, hot sauce (be careful with them as they are super spicy.) or with a thick tomato sauce named Dja  (Jah).

Aloko (Fried Bananas)

by ANTONIS_M on 8:23:00 AM in Cote d'ivoir Food

Ingredients

• 5 bananas
• Oil

Procedure

1. Cut the bananas lengthwise, then into little pieces.
2. Pour about 4 inches of oil into a saucepan and heat until boiling.
3. Place ½ of the sliced bananas into the oil.
4. Fry both sides until reddish-brown, then very carefully remove.
5. Fry the other ½, then remove.
6. Serve immediately alone, or with grilled fish.

Serves 4 to 6.

palm wine

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