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Frijoles antioqueños
Slow-cooked red beans with green plantain and hogao, from Antioquia
In Medellín and across Antioquia, red cargamanto beans simmered for hours are the heart of the bandeja paisa and of everyday lunch. The beans cook with grated green plantain and carrot, which melt in and thicken the pot, and are finished with hogao, the tomato and spring onion sauce. This version leaves out the pork hock and gets its depth from a long simmer and a smoky pinch of paprika. Serve with white rice, avocado and an arepa. Chef's tip: grate the plantain on the fine side of the grater; it dissolves into the beans and makes them creamy.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the beans
- 16 oz dried red kidney or cranberry beanssoaked overnight and drained
- 10 ½ cups water
- 1 green plantainpeeled and finely grated
- 1 carrotfinely grated
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
For the hogao
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 spring onionsfinely chopped
- 3 ripe tomatoesgrated, skins discarded
- 2 cloves garliccrushed
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 16 oz dried red kidney or cranberry beans and 10 ½ cups water in a large pot. Boil hard over a high heat for 10 minutes, skimming, then lower to a gentle simmer.
10 minStep 2: Simmer, part-covered, until the beans are tender, 60–75 minutes (or about 30 minutes in a pressure cooker). Keep them covered with water.
70 minStep 3: Add 1 green plantain, 1 carrot and ½ tsp smoked paprika and simmer for 20 minutes more, stirring often, until the plantain has melted and the broth turns thick and creamy.
20 minStep 4: Meanwhile make the hogao: heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat, add 5 spring onions and cook gently until soft, 5 minutes.
5 minStep 5: Add 3 ripe tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic and ½ tsp ground cumin and cook, stirring now and then, until thick, glossy and brick red, 10–12 minutes.
11 minStep 6: Stir the hogao and 2 tsp salt into the beans and simmer for 5 minutes. A common mistake is salting the beans at the start; add it at the end so they soften properly.
Step 7: Sprinkle with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with rice. They keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze well.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 16 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does frijoles antioqueños take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 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 carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of smoked paprika?
- Sweet paprika + a pinch of chipotle or a drop of liquid smoke.
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