Nyambeh Nyebeh (West African Spiced Black-Eyed Peas)
Abuja, Nigeria · Voir toutes les recettes
Aperçu
Black-eyed peas cooked until tender, then fried through onion, garlic and warm ground spices. The source places it in West Africa without naming a country, and no country has been added here. Nyebe is the word for black-eyed peas across a wide stretch of West Africa, it is Wolof and Mandinka, and it appears in Senegalese, Gambian and Malian cooking. The bean itself is native to the region: cowpeas were domesticated in West Africa and travelled from there to the Americas through the transatlantic slave trade, which is why black-eyed peas are as central to Southern American cooking as they are to Senegalese. That direction of travel is worth stating plainly, since it is often told backwards. The dish sits in the same family as Senegalese ndambe and the many West African bean stews that use nyebe as their base. What distinguishes this version is that it is dry rather than saucy, and that it leans on cumin and paprika rather than on palm oil or tomato. The first half of the name has not been verified. Rather than guess at a meaning it does not document, the source's spelling is kept as given.
Note de Patrimoine AFN
Nyebe is the Wolof and Mandinka name for black-eyed peas, which appear across Senegalese, Gambian and Malian cooking. Cowpeas were domesticated in West Africa and carried to the Americas through the transatlantic slave trade.
Ingrédients
Les mentions alimentaires sont fournies par les contributeurs à titre indicatif. Elles ne sont pas vérifiées par AFN et dépendent des produits que vous achetez. En cas d’allergie grave, vérifiez vous-même chaque ingrédient. Cuisine, allergies et votre propre jugement
Préparation
- 1
Drain and rinse the soaked black-eyed peas. Put them in a large pot, cover well with water and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape rather than collapsing. Drain and set aside.
- 2
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the chopped onion until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- 3
Put in the minced garlic and cook for a further minute or two, until fragrant.
- 4
Fold the cooked peas through the onion and garlic.
- 5
Season with the cayenne, paprika, ground ginger, cumin and salt, and turn everything over until the peas are evenly coated.
- 6
Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes so the flavours come together, splashing in a little water if it starts to catch.
- 7
Take off the heat, garnish with parsley or coriander and serve.
Notes de l’Africook
Notes personnelles de Laila Yetunde- Soak the peas overnight. Unsoaked black-eyed peas take far longer and cook unevenly.
- Stop while the peas still hold their shape. Overcooked, they collapse into a purée and the dish loses its character entirely.
- Salt at the end rather than during the initial cooking, which can toughen the skins.
- Toast the ground spices briefly in the oil before the peas go in if you want more depth, a minute is enough.
- A little of the cooking water keeps things moving in the pan and stops the spices catching and burning.
- It works as a vegan main course, and equally well as a side beside rice, bread or grilled fish.
Questions fréquentes
What does nyebe mean?
It is the word for black-eyed peas in Wolof and Mandinka, and it appears widely in Senegalese, Gambian and Malian cooking, Senegalese ndambe, a black-eyed pea stew, uses the same base. The first half of this dish's name is not explained by the source and has not been verified, so the spelling has been kept exactly as it was given rather than guessed at.
Where are black-eyed peas from?
West Africa. Cowpeas were domesticated in the region and have been a staple there for thousands of years. They were carried to the Americas through the transatlantic slave trade, which is why black-eyed peas are as fundamental to Southern American cooking as they are to Senegalese or Gambian. The direction of that journey is frequently told backwards, so it is worth stating plainly.
Can I use tinned black-eyed peas?
Yes, and it saves the soaking and the long cook. Drain and rinse them well, then skip straight to frying the onion and garlic and folding the peas through. They are softer than home-cooked peas to begin with, so handle them gently and keep the final cooking brief, a few minutes to warm through and take on the spices is enough before they start to break down.
What is it served with?
It stands on its own as a vegan main course, which is how the source presents it, and it is substantial enough to do so. It also works as a side dish beside plain rice, bread, or grilled fish or meat. In West African kitchens black-eyed pea dishes are commonly eaten with rice or with a starch that soaks up whatever sauce there is, though this particular version is drier than most.
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