BURUNDI: Sautéed Red Beans (Ibiharage) with Fried Plantains (Ibitoke) and Ugali

I read somewhere that Burundian food is not ornamental, it's grounding. A perfect way to describe this meal.

Sautéed Red Beans (Ibiharage)

2 tablespoons red palm oil

1 medium yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

1 large tomato, such as beefsteak

1 Maggie or Knorr chicken bouillon cube

2 cans red kidney bean

1. Chop the onion and mince the garlic.

2. Heat the oil in a large lidded pot over medium heat. Add the onions and lower heat to medium low. Cook 3 minutes. While the onions cook, dice the tomato.

3. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and Maggie or Knorr chicken bouillon cube to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes, breaking up the bouillon cube. Then add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil.

4. Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, until beans are soft.

5. Serve aside ugali or over rice.

Fried Plantains (Ibitoke)

2 green plantains

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon red palm oil.

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the ends off of the plantains, then cut through the skins vertically, careful not to cut into the flesh. Peel off the strips of skin. Cut the plantain into angles slices.

2. Heat the oils in a frying pan over medium high. When hot, add slices of plantain spread out in the pan. Cook until brown and then flip the pieces over to fry the other side.

3. Drain on a paper towel when cook through and season with salt.

Ugali

2 cups white cornmeal

2 teaspoons salt

1. Pour 3 cups of water into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Slowly pour in the cornmeal, continuously whisking to prevent any lumps from forming.

3. As the mixture thickens, press it against the sides of the pot to break up any remaining clumps. Continue to cook and stir until the ugali absorbs all the liquid and becomes a very thick, smooth paste.

4. Coat rounded bowl (s), either individual sized or large, with oil. Press ugali into it and let it cool slightly.

5. To serve, place a plate on top of the bowl then invert.

#lesotho #chikalaka #pap

FUN FACTS:

• Burundi won its first Olympic gold medal in its debut appearance at the 1996 Olympic Games.

• Lake Tanganyika in Burundi is the world’s longest freshwater lake. (It is also the second-deepest and the second-largest in volume.)

• Burundi is home to Gustave, a man-eating crocodile responsible for killing hundreds of people. The crocodile lives in Lake Tanganyika and is thought to be over 60 years old and has attacked hundreds of people between 1987 and 2009. It is unknown if he is still alive.