Ikenna Bobmanuel Akwuebue, Author at Woolworths TASTE

Beans recipes

Buttered bambara with toasted egusi relish

45 minutes

Buttered bambara with toasted egusi relish

Serves 2

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cooking Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the buttered bambara:

4 T canola oil
½ red or white onion
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaves
½ garlic bulb, peeled
2 t ground turmeric
1 t ground cumin
1½ cups dry white wine
115 g bambara beans, cooked
1½ T lemon juice
½ stock cube (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste

For the roasted vegetables:

2 small beetroot, peeled and quartered
2 baby carrots, blanched and quartered
75 g cauliflower florets
2 T melted ghee
1 sprig thyme

For the toasted egusi relish:

1 T canola oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
30 g egusi seeds, toasted
A handful coriander, chopped
½ T shrimp powder
lemon zest, to taste, plus 1 T lemon juice
3 t cayenne pepper

For the rodo oil:

2 star anise
1 t cloves
5 Scotch Bonnet peppers
6 cloves garlic
½ cup palm oil

Method

1. To make the buttered bambara, heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 4 minutes until translucent. Add the fresh thyme, bay leaves, garlic, turmeric and cumin. Sauté for a further 3 minutes to activate their flavours. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan and cook for 3–5 minutes. Add the cooked bambara and some water, if necessary, and simmer for 10–12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper (and a squeeze of lemon or the stock cube). Purée until smooth, then set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 150°C. To make the roasted vegetables, place the vegetables in a roasting pan, then drizzle over the melted ghee, add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 8–10 minutes until slightly charred.

3. Meanwhile, to make the toasted egusi relish, heat the oil in a small sauté pan over a medium–low heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 3 minutes until aromatic. Add the toasted egusi seeds and coriander, stir, and cook for about 2–3 minutes. Add the shrimp powder, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

4. To make the rodo oil, heat a pan over a medium heat. Add the star anise and cloves and toast for 4–5 minutes until fragrant. Slightly smash the peppers and garlic using the side of your knife. Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and cook over a very low heat for 20–30 minutes to confit. Allow to cool, then store in a container.

5. To plate, place a circle of the bambara purée on the plate and top with the vegetables to create height. Spoon over the egusi relish and drizzle with the rodo oil (or drizzle the oil around the spherical base of bambara purée).

Find more beans recipes here

Photographer: Rich Kissi

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Buttered bambara with toasted egusi relish

Buttered bambara with toasted egusi relish

Ingredients

Method