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Ewa Agoyin simply translates to “boiled beans with pepper sauce.” This is the ideal method to eat beans for those who dislike them. This Yoruba dish is a staple for most people especially early in the morning or even in the afternoon.
They can’t just get enough of Ewa Agoyin and the love isn’t about to diminish. I’m not sure what it is about it that makes it so delicious. Perhaps it’s because of the caramelized onions. Well, I love it when I eat it and that’s enough motivation.
What is Ewa Agoyin?
It is originally known as Ewa Aganyin but is now widely mistaken and written as Ewa Agoyin. This is probably because of the way the original sounds when it is been pronounced.
It is a Nigerian street snack also eaten as a meal in many Yoruba households as a staple food. The beans are cooked to be exceedingly mushy or mashed. It is typically eaten with barely powdered pepper and hot, but peppery, tomato sauce.
‘Ewa G’ is the native name for it. Palm oil, onion, and crayfish are examples of additional components. Ewa Aganyin was popularized in Nigeria by the Republic of Benin bean sellers/hawkers. They are referred to as Egun or Aganyin people.
It’s usually served with bread, which makes it extremely filling. “Ewa G go block belle” is a typical slang phrase that means “Ewa again will fill your stomach.” It is a popular Nigerian dish since it is both tasty and filling.
True Origin of Ewa Agoyin
Ewa Agoyin is a phrase coined by Nigerians to refer to the Beninese and Togolese people. It is derived from Ewa, which means beans in Yoruba, and Agoyin, which is a tribe in the Benin Republic or a general term used by Nigerians to refer to Beninese and Togolese people.
As a result, the term was coined to designate the sort of beans prepared by these Togolese and Beninese people.
It was first introduced into Nigerian cuisine in the 1960s by the first generation of Agoyin migrants to the country. It grew in popularity in Lagos throughout the 1980s, and by the mid-nineties, it had swept across Africa like wildfire.
How To Make Ewa Agoyin Stew
The beans are cooked until they are quite soft, then mashed. On the other side, the sauce is made from palm oil, dried peppers, and onions.
If you want to make your ewa agoyin and the pepper sauce, follow the steps in the recipe below. It can be served with plantains and/or soft bread (agege).
Ewa Agoyin
Ingredients
- 2 cigar cups (approx. 500g) brown/black eyed beans
- 5 cooking spoons red palm oil
- 5 tomatoes big and plum
- 1 handful crayfish
- 1 onion big
- pepper and salt
- 2 stock cubes
Instructions
Before Preparation
- Soak the beans in cold water for 5 hours. Boil the beans for 5 minutes and discard the water. Rinse the beans in cold water and set aside. This soaking and pre-cooking process will help reduce the gas inducing elements.
- Chop the onions, grind the crayfish and pound the pepper.
- Blend the tomatoes and boil the tomato puree till all the water has dried from it.
- Pre-cook the diced onions without any added water. The aim is to get it to caramelize a bit so that it will take less time to fully caramelize during frying.
Directions
- Cook the beans till done. For Ewa Agoyin, the beans needs to be very soft.
- When the beans is done, add salt, leave to dry up all the water and set aside.
- To cook the Agoyin, pour the palm oil into a separate dry pot. Allow to heat up till the oil starts smoking and the red color changes to clear. It is better to do this at medium heat so that the oil does not get too hot too quickly. Remember to turn off your smoke alarm before doing this.
- Now add the precooked onions and stir continuously till the onions is fully caramelized. It should be very dark in color.
- Add the parboiled tomato puree and stir continuously till you cannot tell the difference between the tomatoes and onions.
- Add the pepper, crayfish, stock cubes and salt to taste.
- You can also add a little water at this point if your want.
- Stir very well and bring to boil. The Ewa Agoyin is ready
