Egbo and Ewa (Cornmeal Pudding and Beans)
Egbo and ewa is a Yoruba dish of slow-cooked corn and soft beans served with a spicy palm oil sauce. The corn simmers for hours until it becomes a thick, spoonable porridge, while the beans cook separately until tender. The sauce brings smoked fish, Scotch bonnet heat and the deep red color of palm oil. Cooks in Nigeria serve it at any hour, and it is said to hold a whole meal's nutrition in one bowl.
Instructions
Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the washed corn. Keep the heat low and stir often for 4 to 6 hours, scraping the bottom so the corn never sticks or scorches.
Pick through the beans to remove any debris, then wash them well. Bring a second pot of water to a boil, add the beans, and simmer for about 2 hours.
Put the red bell peppers, Scotch bonnets, cayenne and onions in a blender and pulse to a chunky paste, not a smooth puree.
Heat the palm oil in a clean, dry pot. Stir in the pepper paste and cook over low heat for a few minutes.
Season with salt to taste, add a seasoning cube, and stir in the cleaned smoked fish. Cook for about 15 minutes, then let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
Serve the sauce spooned over the finished cornmeal pudding and beans.
Make it personal.
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