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Corn chaff
Corn chaff: the North West's hearty pot of maize and beans in red palm oil sauce with greens
Big pots of corn chaff are everyday food in the North West, from Bamenda's Food Market to boarding-school dining halls, where maize and beans stretch a long way. Dried corn and beans are simmered until soft, then folded into a red palm oil sauce with onion, tomato and hot pepper, with a handful of greens stirred through at the end. The result is hearty and chewy with a deep, slightly smoky sweetness from the oil, and it tastes even better the next day. Serve it in bowls, with ripe avocado on the side when it is in season. Soak the maize and beans overnight. Chef's tip: give the dried maize a head start of about 45 minutes before adding the beans, because it takes far longer to soften.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the maize and beans
- 10 ½ oz dried maize kernelssoaked overnight; or 2 × 400 g cans hominy, drained (skip step 2)
- 10 ½ oz dried brown or red beanssoaked overnight
- 12 ½ cups water
For the sauce
- ½ cup red palm oil
- 2 onionschopped
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 3 tomatoeschopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet chillifinely chopped
- 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 7 oz huckleberry leaves or spinachshredded
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 10 ½ oz dried maize kernels and 10 ½ oz dried brown or red beans separately.
Step 2: Put the maize in a large pot with the 12 ½ cups water, bring to the boil and simmer, partly covered, for 45 minutes.
45 minStep 3: Add the beans and boil hard for 10 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for 40–50 minutes until the beans crush easily and the maize is soft but still chewy. Scoop out and keep about 300 ml of the cooking water, then drain.
50 minStep 4: Meanwhile, warm the ½ cup red palm oil in a wide pot over a medium heat for 2 minutes. Do not let it smoke; overheated palm oil turns harsh.
2 minStep 5: Add the 2 onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft, then the 3 garlic cloves for 1 minute.
6 minStep 6: Stir in the 3 tomatoes and 1 Scotch bonnet chilli and cook for 10 minutes until thick and the oil separates at the edges.
10 minStep 7: Tip in the maize and beans with the reserved water, 1 tsp vegetable stock powder and 1 ½ tsp salt. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce clings to the grains.
15 minStep 8: Fold in the 7 oz huckleberry leaves or spinach and cook for 5 minutes until wilted and tender. Serve hot.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 75 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 15 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does corn chaff take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 105 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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