PAWPAW CRUMBLE

I'm a little annoyed because I'm pretty sure I posted this recipe a while back. A quick glance through my archives made me realise that the post had somehow been deleted. Never mind! Better late than never.

I made this back in May when I put on a lunch spread for some friends who had never tried Nigerian food before. I made sure the mains were typical Nigerian fare - jollof rice, plantain, stew, efo riro etc. etc. (it was quite a feast) - but when it came to dessert, I wanted to try something different.
I suppose I'll have to call this one a fusion dish because a crumble really is the quintessential English pudding. I've just given it an exotic twist with some juicy pawpaw (a.k.a. papaya) instead of the traditional apple.

Once upon a time, we had a pawpaw tree in our backyard. It served us well and was a source of many glorious moments spent gnawing through refrigerated mounds of bright orange goodness. Then one day its roots went out of control and nearly destroyed a part of the wall surrounding our compound. It got chopped down and uprooted and I doubt I've ever really gotten over it. Pawpaw is high up there on my list of favourite fruits, along with mango and orange. It's packed with a load of vitamins (A, B, C), potassium, calcium and fibre. It's also low in calories at around 40 calories/100 g. Sweet!

Ingredients
- 1 ripe pawpaw (cut into bite-size cubes)
- Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup wholegrain flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup raw cane sugar
- 3/4 cup vegan margarine
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Place the cubed pawpaw at the bottom of a baking dish and squeeze on some lemon juice and sprinkle on 1 tsp of cinnamon. Give it a good mix and leave to the side.

To make the topping, place the flour, oats, sugar, 1 tsp of cinnamon and vegan butter in a large mixing bowl. With clean hands, bring the mixture together gently until it resembles thick breadcrumbs.

Spread the crumble mix evenly over the top of the pawpaw and bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 6, for about 30 mins, making sure the top is nice and golden brown.

BOLI

Here's an idea - the next time you're invited to a barbecue, why not turn up with an armful of plantain. Yes, you'll probably look a bit strange, but at least you'll be guaranteed a tasty, filling alternative while everyone chows down on hot-dogs and drumsticks.

Boli (a.k.a. roasted plantain) is a popular Nigerian street food. Nothing fancy or complicated. Just a whole plantain thrown on a grill and turned around a few times to get it all brown and crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. It is then wrapped up in old newspaper and handed over with some roasted peanuts.

What's so great is that it can be recreated at home, whether in a conventional oven-grill or out on the barbecue.

BREAKFAST #5 - OAT BARS

It's not every morning that you're in the mood to make porridge from scratch - even with the wonderful invention that is the microwave. These days, I grab a breakfast bar with a piece of fruit or two and I'm good to go. But not just any old shop-bought breakfast bar where half the ingredients are chemicals you've never heard of. These are homemade and packed full of all the good stuff. Sugar-free and sweetened with 100% natural apple sauce and raisins, these will give you the energy you need to start the day off, without the mid-morning sugar-induced crash.

Ingredients

(makes 10-12)

- 2 cups organic oats

- 1/4 cup raisins

- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

- 1 tsp cinammon

- 1/4 cup almond milk

- 3-4 tbsp wholegrain flour

- 4 apples (cored and chopped)

- 2 tbsp lemon juice

- Water

Start by making the apple sauce. Add the chopped apples to a saucepan and cover with a little water and the lemon juice. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25-30 mins.

Give it a good mix and leave to cool.

Place the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add the cooled apple sauce. Mix well and spread evenly onto a lined baking dish (flat and rectangular)

Bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 5, for 40-45 mins or until set and golden brown on top.

Leave to cool for an hour or so then cut into bars. 

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

MINI PIZZAS

These thin-crust beauties are topped with home-made chilli-infused tomato sauce and  a scattering of veg I had lying around the house (green and red peppers, onions, sun-dried tomatoes and avocado). To replace the cheese, I sprinkled on some nutritional yeast (sounds nasty if you've never tried it, but look it up. It's packed full of crazy incredible vitamins such as B12, has a wonderfully cheesy taste, and adds to the aesthetics of the pizzas while also providing a nutritional boost).

I managed to freeze these for lunch this week, usually heating one up and serving with a fresh salad. If you do choose to freeze them, make sure you wrap each one individually (in cling film / foil etc) to stop them from sticking together.

Before I shoot off, here's a cool post from 'This Afropolitan Life'. She discusses whether Africans are natural vegans. Check it out!






























Ingredients
- 1.5 cups wholegrain flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt
- 4 large tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1-2 tsp chilli powder
- chopped vegetables of your choice
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)


To make the base, mix the flour, a pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons of oil and a bit of water in a large bowl to form a firm dough. Add a bit more flour if you find that the dough is too sticky. Likewise, add a bit of water if the dough is too dry.
Divide the dough into 6-8 equal parts and roll each piece on a lightly floured surface to form your mini pizza bases.

To make the sauce, add the chopped tomatoes, ketchup, chilli powder, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt to taste and 3-4 tablespoons of water to a saucepan and bring the whole thing to a boil. After 10 minutes, turn the heat down (medium-low) and let the sauce simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 more minutes or until it has reduced nicely to form a thick sauce.

Put it all together. Place your pizza bases on a lined baking sheet, spread the sauce over the top and sprinkle on your chopped vegetables (and optional nutritional yeast).

Serve it up with a fresh green salad!

Fresh Citrus Punch | Refreshing Summer Drink

Keep things simple with this sweet-tangy citrus drink. Unashamedly chilled to within an inch of its life with all the ice cubes in my ice tray! 

This is also a great non-alcoholic alternative to serve at dinners or BBQs.

You'll need:
- 6 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup freshly squeezed  lime juice
- 4 cups sparkling water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup

Combine all the ingredients in a large jug and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Serve over ice, with fresh fruit of your choice.

SOAKED GARRI

The ever-versatile garri is back, arguably in its best form. If you've never had this then I can only shake my head sadly and plead with you to make it as soon as possible. 

This is one of the quintessential Nigerian snacks/meals/drinks (yes, all in one). I never went through the boarding school experience in Nigeria but apparently, having a stash of garri was essential to surviving those long weeks away from home. As a day student, that didn't stop me from overloading on soaked garri after school.

Grab yourself a large cup or cereal bowl. Fill it about 1/3 way up with garri. Add ice cold water (the colder the better). Add some sugar (to taste). Throw in a handful of roasted groundnut.
Thank me later...

PINEAPPLE AND GROUNDNUT STIR-FRY

Does this qualify as a weird flavour combination? I'm not entirely sure, but it made sense as I was making it. The results were satisfying - refreshing pineapple, crunchy peppers and earthy groundnut coated in a sticky-sweet sauce. Serve it up with some brown rice or other grain to complete the meal.

Ingredients

(serves 1-2)

- 1 small pineapple

- 1/2 red bell pepper (chopped)

- 1 small onion (sliced)

- 1 large tomato (finely chopped)

- 1/2 cup groundnut (peanuts)

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- Fresh herbs (chopped, to garnish)

Take out the pineapple flesh and cut into chunks. Retain any natural juices in a cup and set aside.

Add the pineapple, chopped tomatoes, peppers and onions to a frying pan and sauté for five minutes, stirring constantly. Add the pineapple juice and stock cube, reduce the heat and simmer for a further five minutes.

Finally, add the groundnut and garnish with some freshly chopped herbs. I used basil here to give it an extra kick.

EATING OUT - SALADS

I am often wary of ordering salads whenever I eat out. You just never know what you're going to get. As much as I love my greens, I also want to know that the money I'm spending on a meal is worth it and that I won't leave feeling more deprived than when I walked in.
Unfortunately, some restaurants tend to make salads an afterthought of oversized leaves spotted with limp, watery extras.

It's always a nice surprise when you find a restaurant keen to put in some effort and my general tip would be: don't be afraid to talk it out with your waiter/waitress. Ask for extra stuff to bulk out the meal (like beans) and see where it gets you.

This is the last salad I had when I ate out - the best and tastiest I've come across so far. The fruit salad wasn't too bad either:

Watermelon and Grapefruit Punch | Refreshing Summer Drink

Make drinking water that bit more interesting with this refreshing drink idea. Ideal for those scorching hot summer months.

You'll need:
- 1/2 watermelon (cut into 15-20 bite-size cubes)
- 2 litres water
- peel from 2 large grapefruits
- juice from 2 large grapefruits
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- fresh herbs (mint or basil)

Freeze the watermelon to form "watermelon ice cubes".
Fill a jug with 2 litres of chilled water. Add the grapefruit peel, grapefruit juice and maple syrup.
Crush the fresh herbs to release some of the oils then add to the water.
Add the frozen watermelon cubes just before serving.

LIGHT COCONUT CUPCAKES

Short of calling them airy fairy puffy-cloud feather-light delights, these cupcakes really do melt in the mouth. The centre texture is extraordinarily fluffy with a delicate, crumbly exterior.
If you weren't convinced about vegan baking before then this is sure to change your mind.




















Ingredients

(makes 12)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup wholegrain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup grated coconut
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the coconut milk and sunflower oil in another small bowl and add that to the dry ingredients. Beat to form a thick, gooey mixture.

Line (or grease with oil) a cupcake tin and scoop the cake batter into each cupcake mould.

Bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 5, for 25-30 minutes or until the cupcakes have risen slightly and are golden brown.

Leave to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

GROCERY HAUL #6

I beat my alarm by two hours this morning. Two hours! And what's more, I was feeling unusually upbeat, raring to go, eager to get outside for some fresh morning air. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not a morning person (and I believe I have stressed this point somewhere else on this blog). In fact, a little part of me resents the upbeat, glowing morning person. You know the kind - up at the crack of dawn, a million and one things already accomplished, breakfast downed and lunch already on the cooker. Throw in some cheerful humming and the resentment might just grow into hatred for the next hour or so, or at least until my own brain kicks into gear and I can string a sentence together.

No, I am more of a night owl. The kind of person who wishes the world would operate back to front - work all night and sleep all day. I guess I can see how this could maybe be a waste. I mean, the sky was pretty blue and gorgeous this morning and the fruits did look extra dazzling with the sun rays bouncing off them...

Anyway, on to my purchase. As it's summer, I'm trying not to overload on the heavy stuff like yams and potatoes etc..and opting instead for more cooling, refreshing fruits, salads and whatnot.

- coconut milk
- pineapple
- watermelon
- dates (great for snacking)
- fresh basil
- green lettuce
- tomatoes
- grapefruit
- apple (crimson red, almost black! caught my eye so thought I'd try one)
- groundnut
- lime
- golden pear

Oh, and look what I came across on my morning stroll:

As a book addict, of course I had to stop for a browse. I ended up picking up a book on salads. I need as much inspiration as I can get. Plus, it was such a steal - we're talking mere kobo/pennies/cents.

Happy weekend, but most importantly, happy eating!

BEANS & PLANTAIN CAKES WITH A TOMATO-ONION SALAD

Can you believe I almost named this recipe 'PEPPERED "STEAKS"'? I was going for the whole juicy-alternative-to-regular-steak thing but decided against it. It wouldn't have been such an atrocious idea I suppose, after all I've dabbled in spicy burgers and meat-less pies in the past. But let's get real - it tastes nothing like a steak, maybe looks like a steak with the right angle and lighting, but yeah... Let's celebrate it for what it is this time around - beans and plantain (classic combo) under a different, arguably chic guise.

Long before I even considered a plant-based diet as a valid way of eating, I used to tease a veggie friend of mine for eating things like veggie burgers and veggie sausages and veggie mince etc etc. I always wondered why so much effort went into making mock versions of meat products. I can't speak for any of the vegetarian/vegan food production companies, but I've come to realise that there's something fun about trying to re-appropriate long-standing dietary favourites that I once thought I couldn't live without. The creative side of me wants to push the boundaries of what food can be transformed into. A bit like a mad scientist in a lab, without the fly-away hair and villainous laughter of course...

Ingredients

(serves 3-4)

- 1 cup cooked beans (I used black-eyed beans)

- 1 very ripe banana

- 1/4 cup wholegrain flour

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- 2 tsp ground ginger

- Ground black pepper

- 2 large tomatoes (chopped)

- 1 small onion (chopped)

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- Salt to taste

Mash the beans and ripe plantain in a large mixing bowl to form a smooth or chunky texture, depending on which you prefer. Add the wholegrain flour, ground ginger and crushed stock cube, give it a good mix to achieve a light, sticky mixture.

Line a baking tray with some greaseproof paper and drop two to three tablespoons of the mixture on at a time (use the back of the spoon to spread it out a little and form roughly round shapes). Lightly sprinkle each 'cake' with black pepper.

Bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 6, for 20-25 mins or until brown and firm to the touch.

Leave to cool for a few minutes and serve with a refreshing tomato/onion salad (chopped tomatoes and onions tossed with 1 tbsp olive oil and salt to taste).

BEANS AND RICE

This post goes out especially to one of my blog readers who appears to be just as obsessed with brown basmati rice as I am and who requested a beans and rice recipe. As soon as I saw your message this morning, I knew my dinner plans were sorted. Cheers for that :)

As popular as the beans/rice combination is in Nigeria, I can probably count the number of times I've eaten it on one hand. After today, I might make it a bit more of a permanent fixture in my regular menu. It's certainly a wonderful way to pack in some extra protein.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 1/2 cup brown basmati rice

- 1/2 cup cooked beans (I've used red kidney beans, but feel free to use whatever type you have!)

- 2 large tomatoes (chopped)

- 1 medium onion

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- 1 tbsp sunflower oil

- 1 tsp curry powder

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- Salt to taste

Start by sautéing the onions in oil, then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are softened. 

Add the basmati rice and cover with a little water. Season with the stock cube, curry, thyme and salt. Turn the heat all the way down and simmer until the rice is soft. 

Stir in the cooked beans at the very end and cook for another minute or two.

Enjoy!

BREAKFAST #4 - PLAIN PANCAKES AND SEASONAL FRUITS

Happy Saturday! It's been a while since I've done a breakfast post soo here's what I had to eat this morning. The pancakes are plain this time around, unlike the banana and raisin number I shared back in March.

But shifting the focus away from the pancakes, let's talk seasonal fruits. Where I am at the moment, peaches are in absolute abundance. You can't walk into a store or market without being hit by the smell of sweet, fragrant peaches.  Nothing says summer like fresh fruit so I've topped my pancakes with lightly spiced peaches and oodles of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Yum!


















Ingredients
(serves 2)
- 2 peaches (diced)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 2 tbsp vegan margarine (melted)
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1  tsp nutmeg
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, melted margarine and almond milk in a large bowl to form a thick, gooey batter.

Drop 1 cooking spoon of the batter into the centre a non-stick frying pan and cook/brown on both sides (medium-low heat). Repeat the process for the rest of the pancakes.

Place the diced peaches in a bowl and toss with cinnamon and nutmeg until evenly coated.

Stack your warm pancakes on a plate and top with the spiced peaches. Squeeze as much lemon juice as you want over the top.

SPINACH AND APPLE PESTO

In the culinary world, I imagine that there are few things more exciting than discovering or trying new flavour combinations. This particular dish was the result of me glancing into my fridge and thinking that I'd reeaaallyy like something unusual for dinner.

In the end, I was a wimp and only used half an apple in this recipe, but if I could start all over again, I'd throw in at least another whole one.

It just works!

You've got the heat of the scotch bonnet pepper (or ata rodo) just sitting at the back of your throat, the creaminess from the [vegan] margarine-infused spinach, the crunch of the chopped toasted peanuts and then bam! you're pelted with the juicy morsels of sweet apples. If this explosion of flavours and textures was an outfit, it'd be some kind of colour-riot iro and buba that's just crazy enough to look flattering.

Ingredients

(serves 2)
- 2 servings whole-wheat spaghetti
- 2-3 cups spinach (finely chopped)
- 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, or ata rodo (finely chopped)
- 1 large tomato (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp vegan margarine
- 1/2 large apple (chopped)
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- Salt to taste

Boil the spaghetti in salted water for 8-10 minutes, drain and set aside.

To make the pesto, melt the vegan margarine in a large frying pan and add the chopped tomato, apples and spinach. Sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Next, add the peanuts, curry powder, stock cube and season with salt. Make sure the ingredients are well combined and keep stirring as you cook for a further 5 minutes. You may need to add a drop or two of water if the pesto dries too quickly but in the end, you want a paste-like mixture (you don't want your spaghetti to swim in it!)

Finally, add the cooked spaghetti to the spinach pesto, mixing well until the pesto is evenly distributed and coating the strands of spaghetti.

Enjoy!

BUTTER BEAN PARCELS

These are about the cutest little things I've made to date and I'm incredibly happy with how they turned out. As we dip our feet into the summer months, light eating really is the name of the game. A couple of these with a side of salad and you've got yourself a nourishing lunch or dinner. And if you're one to fill your summer nights with food, fun and friends then these will look effortlessly impressive at your next get-together.

. 

I've used butter beans in this recipe but please feel free to use whatever type you have in your kitchen cupboard. 

Ingredients

(serves 4-6)

- 1 + 1/2 cups wholegrain flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 2 tbsp sunflower oil

- Warm water

- 1 cup cooked butter beans

- 2 carrots (finely chopped)

- 1 courgette (chopped into small cubes)

- 1 large tomato (finely chopped)

- 2 tsp curry powder

- 2 cloves crushed garlic

- Salt to taste

To make the filling, place the cooked beans, chopped vegetables and seasoning in a saucepan with a little water and cook uncovered on medium-low heat for 20 minutes. You want the liquid to reduce down a little and the veg to get soft. Leave to cool while you get on with the pastry.

To make the pastry parcels, mix the flour, baking powder and oil in a large bowl (add a pinch of salt if you want). Start adding the warm water slowly, mixing until you have a firm dough. Divide the dough into eight equal parts.

Putting it all together: take one part of the dough and roll it out into a roughly round shape on a lightly floured surface. Place the rolled out dough in your cupped palm and fill the centre with 2-3 tablespoons of the filling.  Be careful as you lay it down on a lined baking sheet. Play around with the shape until it more or less resembles a small parcel. (If you've got a large muffin tin then go ahead and use that.)

Repeat this process for the rest of the parcels and bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 6, for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry case is cooked and slightly browned. Serve hot or warm!

HOT SALTINE CRACKERS

My idea of vegan junk food is a bowl of saltine crackers. Tired of the shop bought variety, I rolled up my sleeves and made my own. I was in a bit of a hurry when I made this batch so they came out in all kinds of strange and wonderful shapes and sizes. If you're a neat freak then feel free to make yours more square and uniform. If anything, at least it proves that I baked these myself and didn't throw a bunch of Ritz crackers in a bowl!

I realise that adding chilli to everything doesn't automatically make it more African, let alone Nigerian. I mean, I'd hate to perpetuate the stereotype that we eat, drink and breathe spicy food. Well, sort of...


















Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup wholegrain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil (and a little extra for brushing)
- Warm water
- Chilli powder
- Salt

Place the baking powder, all-purpose and wholegrain flour in a large mixing bowl and add the oil. Start to add the water a little bit at a time, kneading as you go along, until you have a firm and slightly elastic dough. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes to combine the ingredients.

Roll the dough out very thinly on a lightly floured surface. Grab a knife (in a non-violent way) and cut the rolled out dough into your desired shapes. Lift the crackers very gently onto to lined baking sheet and prick each one with a fork.

Mix a little water and oil in a small bowl. Brush the crackers with this oil-water mixture before sprinkling with salt and chilli.

Bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 6, for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yum!

RICE & CARAMELISED ONION STEW

'Rice and stew' is jollof rice's humble alter-ego - never steals the limelight at parties and a bit underwhelming when you really think about it - but ask any Nigerian and they'll tell you that it is THE go-to meal. A bit too much of a go-to meal if you ask me but hey, I also get the impression we'd be pretty lost without it.
Can't think of what to have for dinner? "Let's have rice and stew!"
Got some guests coming over and need to rustle up something quick? "Let's cook rice and stew!"
Feeling uninspired in the kitchen? "Let's boil some rice and heat up some stew!"
So on and so forth.... Never gets old...

Red onions have always fascinated me. You know, the way they turn all sweet and caramelly when you sauté them long enough. I decided to make this scrumptious, sticky red onion infused stew. Served up with some brown basmati rice. Enjoy.


















Ingredients

(serves 2)
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups red pepper mix
1 large red onion (thinly sliced)
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Salt to taste

Boil the rice in salted water until soft.

To make the stew, sauté the onions in oil on medium-low heat until the onions are soft and sweet. Be patient with this, there's a difference between burnt onions and caramelised onions so keep the heat under control and stir the onions from time to time.

Add the red pepper mix and turn the heat up. Add the stock cube, curry and salt and boil the stew for 3-4 mins. Turn the heat back down to medium-low and simmer uncovered for a further 15-20 mins to allow the stew to thicken.

Serve hot on a bed of brown rice.

BANANA, RAISIN, ALMOND & CHOCOLATE SLICES

We had one of those pot-luck dinners at church today and I decided to unleash my vegan baking on some unsuspecting taste buds. It sounds more devious than it actually is though. By now, most people know that I don't cook with meat, eggs or dairy so they're always curious as to what I'll come up with. I got some rave reviews, including the very hyperbolic "I could eat this all day". Given the chance, I probably could too.

But I think I'll let you be the judge.. if you ever get round to trying this recipe. 

You should. 

Really. 

It's rich, moist and super indulgent - talk about getting a sweet fix. Reminds me a lot of Mr Biggs' infamous birthday cakes.

Yet, when you really break it down, this is probably one of the healthiest snacks/desserts you could ever hope to enjoy. 

Ingredients

- 2 cups wholegrain flour

- 1/2 cup 100% cocoa powder

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 cup raw cane sugar

- 2 ripe bananas (mashed)

- 1/4 cup raisins

- 1/4 cup chopped almonds

- 1/2 cup vegan margarine (i.e. plant-based margarine)

- 1 tsp almond extract / vanilla essence

No big deal to this at all. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and give it a good mix.

Pour into a loaf tin lined with greaseproof paper and top with a few chopped almonds to make it look all rustic and home-made.

Bake in a pre-heated oven (gas mark 6) for 20-25 min. Insert a cocktail stick to check if it's cooked all the way through. If it comes out clean then you're good to go.

Leave to cool for about an hour before cutting into thick slices.

 

ADALU

Incredibly delicious and incredibly filling, adalu is a sort of porridge made with beans and corn. It's a comforting meal, not too complicated and packs a protein punch.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

- 1 cup beans (brown or black-eyed)

- 4 cups water

- 1 small red onion (chopped)

- 1/2 cup sweetcorn / freshly cooked corn (off the cob)

- 2-3 cups red pepper mix

- 1 vegetable stock cube

- 2 tbsp palm oil (optional)

- Salt to taste

Cook the beans in salted water with the chopped onions (on medium-low heat) until soft. You may need to add some extra water as you go along. In the end you want the beans to be soft and the water almost completely evaporated.

Add the red pepper mix, corn, oil and stock cube to the beans. Simmer for a further 25-30 minutes on a low heat.

Tastes great hot or cold.