How to make Colm O'Gorman's Mbaazi — a bean and coconut stew with fresh chapati
Mbaazi — Bean and Coconut Stew with Fresh Chapati
Week three of my short series of stew recipes from around the world takes us to East Africa, specifically to Kenya, for a beautiful coconut and bean stew that is a firm family favourite in our house.
Our kids lived in Kenya for a few years with their Mum and she used to make it for them regularly. So, I made it often after they came to live in Ireland, and we all came to adore it. Like any great stew, this is pure comfort food. It is traditionally served as a breakfast dish; we often have it for brunch or even for supper.
Mbaazi is the Swahili name for pigeon peas, which are traditionally used to make this dish. They can be a little difficult to find here so I use red kidney beans instead. I always use tinned beans which has the benefit of convenience and makes the dish very quick and easy to prepare.
In my recipe, I add coconut sugar at the end of cooking to add a little sweetness. If you cannot get hold of any you can use brown sugar, but coconut sugar is very widely available. Lidl usually has it in stock, as do most health food shops. It has a lovely caramel coconut flavour which works beautifully for this dish.
Mbaazi with Fresh Chapati
In Kenya, Mbaazi is served with Mandazi, a sort of coconut-flavoured doughnut, but we always have it with freshly made chapati instead. A warm bowl of smooth, sweet beans, lightly spiced and stewed in coconut milk, scooped up in flaky freshly made chapati
Servings
6Preparation Time
20 minsCooking Time
25 minsTotal Time
45 minsCourse
MainIngredients
Mbaazi:
½ an onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
1 green chilli
2 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp turmeric
1 tin of regular coconut milk
3 tins of red kidney beans
1tsp flaky sea salt
1 tbsp coconut sugar
A splash of lemon juice
Chapati:
400g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
1 clove of garlic
30ml olive oil
250ml boiling water
Melted butter or olive oil to brush the chapatis.
Method
Begin by making the dough for the chapatis. Combine the dry ingredients in a big bowl. Grate in the clove of garlic and add the olive oil. Stir well to combine.
Next, gradually add the hot water mixing as you go. Use a spoon at this stage as the water should be just boiled and too hot to mix by hand. When the dough has come together, it should be cool enough to begin to knead it by hand. Knead for about five minutes until smooth. Cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes while you get on with making the stew.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and grate the ginger and the garlic. Deseed and finely chop the chilli. Melt two tablespoons of coconut oil in a large saucepan over a high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Sautée for a minute or two and then add the garlic, ginger, and green chilli. Cook for two minutes before adding the turmeric. Give it another minute, stirring all the time.
Pour in the coconut milk and bring the pan to a soft boil. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and add them to the pot along with the salt. Stir well and bring the pot back to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the coconut milk reduces down and the stew thickens.
While the Mbaazi is simmering, cook the chapati.
Tear away a little dough and roll it into a ball about the size of a golf ball. On a floured surface, press the ball flat using the palm of your hand and roll it out into a rough disc about 3mm thick and the size of a side plate.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a very high heat. Pop the chapati onto the dry pan and cook for one minute or until you see bubbles begin to form on the surface of chapati. Flip it over and cook for another minute or two on the other side. When it puffs up, remove it from the pan and place it on your work surface. Place your hands on either side of the chapati and clap them together to fluff it up and make it lovely and flaky. Brush the top side of the chapati with some melted butter or a little olive oil. Now roll it up and pop it into a barely warm oven. Repeat until you have used all the dough. You will get 8-10 chapati from this recipe.
By now your Mbaazi should be done. Add the coconut sugar and use a potato masher to lightly mash some of the beans, leaving most of them whole. This will give you a creamy stew with a lovely texture. Finally, add a splash of lemon juice and taste. Add more seasoning if needed.
Serve in warm bowls with a little more chopped fresh green chilli on top, and the chapati on the side.
