Nigerian Baked Beans

I have made these baked beans with peanut butter and Nigerian style seasonings more times than almost any other recipe I've ever made, and certainly more times than I can count. It's not just that these baked beans are so easy to make and make for such a hearty and filling meal, although these are very much pluses in my kitchen and likely yours too. But the reason that I make them so often is because I have frequent cravings for the creamy combination of peanut butter and spices that make these baked beans such a flavorful experience. I do enjoy the more traditional molasses baked beans too — minus the pork and lard of course — but peanut butter and hot spices are just too much for me to resist, especially when they blend so easily with white beans.

Nigerian Baked Beans

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: African Published on March 19, 2007 One of my all-time favorite bean dishes — easy baked beans with peanut butter and a delicious Nigerian-style seasoning Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried navy beans 1/2 cup dried cannellini (white kidney) beans 1/4 cup olive or sesame oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 2 to 3 fresh green chilies or jalapeños, finely chopped 1 tablespoon curry powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped 3 tablespoons peanut butter 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste plenty of fresh ground black pepper, to taste Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak the beans overnight in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan and cover with 3 1/2 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 to 60 minutes or until the beans are just tender. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and stir for 2 minutes or until the onion has just wilted. Add the garlic and chilies and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the spices and stir once or twice to coat the onions, then stir in the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened. Preheat an oven to 325°F. Put the peanut butter in a small bowl. When the beans are finished cooking, slowly add a few scoops of the cooking liquid to the peanut butter, stirring as you go. Empty the beans with their remaining cooking liquid into a good size casserole dish. Stir in the tomato mixture and peanut butter mixture, salt and black pepper. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are very tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Makes 4 to 8 servings