Sousboontjies

1. The night before, sort the beans and discard any broken beans and grit. Soak in 4 cups water overnight. The next morning, drain the water and rinse the beans.
2. Boil the beans in the remaining water over a moderate heat for 2 hours, or until soft enough to be crushed with a fork. Rinse again to get rid of some starch and the loose skins.
3. Return to the saucepan, add the salt and about 1⁄2 cup water, then add the sugar. Boil for about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and boil for 2–3 minutes.
4. Taste and add more sugar or vinegar and salt if necessary. Add the butter and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, checking often so the beans don’t burn.
5. Turn off the heat and allow to stand for few minutes. If too runny, mix the cornflour with little water and add to the beans.
Photography: Jan Ras
Production: Hannah Lewry
Food assistant: Claire-Ellen van Rooyen