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Maharagwe ya nazi
Swahili red beans simmered in coconut milk with tomato and curry
Maharagwe ya nazi, red beans in coconut, is a weekday staple along the Swahili coast from Mombasa to Dar es Salaam and on Zanzibar, eaten with chapati, rice or mandazi. The beans are cooked until creamy, then simmered in a gently spiced tomato and coconut sauce. It differs from mbaazi wa nazi (pigeon peas) in its red kidney beans and its tomato-based, curry-spiced sauce. Chef's tip: add the coconut milk at the end and keep it at a bare simmer; boiled hard, it splits and turns oily.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pot over a medium heat and cook 1 onion for 8 minutes until golden. Add 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 2 tsp mild curry powder and ½ tsp ground turmeric and stir for 1 minute.
9 minStep 2: Add 3 tomatoes and 1 tsp salt and cook for 6–8 minutes until thick and the oil shows at the edges.
8 minStep 3: Add 1 ¾ lb cooked red kidney beans and ¾ cup water and simmer for 5 minutes. Lightly crush a few beans against the pot to thicken the sauce.
5 minStep 4: Stir in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk and 1 green chilli and keep at a gentle simmer for 8–10 minutes until creamy. Common mistake: a rolling boil once the coconut is in.
10 minStep 5: Scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with chapati or rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 11 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does maharagwe ya nazi take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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