Nigerian Stewed Beans (Ewa Riro)

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Last Updated on November 30, 2019

Nigerian stewed beans is another popular Nigerian beans recipe. Ghanaian called it red red and the Yoruba’s calls it Ewa riro. Stewed beans can be made with black-eyed peas or honey beans. Nigerian beans can be eaten on its own or served with garri, boiled yam or bread.

Nigerian Beans (Ewa Riro)

I used to think I know how to cook stewed beans till I met my hubby, I am more inclined to cooking my sauce separately (Agoyin/buka style) as that is the way I like it.  But ever since I learnt how to cook his style of Nigerian stewed beans, I have not looked back and with the help of a pressure cooking pot, it means I can cook my beans in about 30 minutes. (Not bad hey) honestly, you are missing out if you don’t own a pressure cooker it just makes life easier in the kitchen and saves a lot of time.

Update: I think I might be becoming a pressure cooker addict, to be honest, what is there to hate about a pressure cooker? I recently purchased an electric pressure cooker and I now cook my beans in under 15 minutes. No lies here, it is like the best thing ever after sliced bread.

Ingredients for Nigerian stewed beans

Brown Beans or black-eyed peas

Nigerian Pepper mix (substitute with cayenne pepper and tomato paste)

Dried catfish, washed (optional)

Handful bonga fish, washed and deboned (optional)

Onion, chopped

Palm oil: substitute with vegetable oil

Bouillion powder or stock cubes. (optional)

Salt

Ground crayfish

How to cook beans in a pressure cooker (Instant Pot)

• Please note I use Pressure king pro 8-in-1 digital pressure cooker (not sponsored) and I use the meat function to cook beans. The minimum water level required is 1 litre which is about 4 cups. You will need more than a litre of water to cook beans in a pressure pot. depending on the quantity you are cooking, I would suggest 1 cup of beans to 1 litre of water. Below is how I typically make beans in digital pressure cooker.
• Pick the beans to ensure it is stone and dirt free.
• add beans, water, salt and chopped onion to the pressure pot.
• secure the lid of the pressure cooker by ensuring it is closed correctly.
• using the meat function, time the cooker to 8 minutes. The pressure cooker takes about 5 minutes for the pressure to build up in it before the cooking starts.
• Carefully release the pressure, strain the beans in a colander. Return it back to the pressure pot and add the rest of the ingredients to the bean and add water up to the minimum water level. Taste for salt and seasoning and adjust accordingly. Still using the meat function, time it for another 7 minutes. Release the valve and allow the pressure to escape naturally (natural release). This could take another 5 to 10 minutes. Stir the beans to combine and at this point, you can either serve the beans immediately or leave in the pressure pot and continue to keep warm until it is needed

Tips…

• Substitute dried catfish/bonga with canned or smoked mackerel
• Add your salt when beans are soft, if you add it at the beginning of the cooking process, the beans won’t cook in time. This is an old wives tale but I think it is true.

How to cook Nigerian beans (ewa riro) on the stove top

Place a pot on medium heat, add rinsed beans, enough water to cook and add half of the chopped onions, and bring to boil until tender. This might take a while, but quicker if you have a pressure cooking pot. Add water in between to avoid the beans drying out/ burning.

Once the beans are tender, reduce the heat or set aside. Place a clean/dry pan on medium-high heat, pour in palm oil and leave to heat up for about 2-3 minutes, add the remaining chopped onions and continue frying till onion is transparent this should be for another 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the onions and avoid getting burned by the hot oil too (keep your kitchen well ventilated when doing this process. Remember you are not bleaching the oil, you are only frying to melt the palm oil to rid curdling in the mouth when eating and to also allow the onion flavour to be infused in the oil)

Add pepper, seasoning, salt, dried fish and crayfish to the beans (check if you need to add water) stir till well combined

Add the fried palm oil and stir again till all is combined. (check for salt and seasoning)

Reduce the heat to avoid the beans sticking to the bottom of the pot

You will know your beans are cooked when all ingredients added are well combined.

Mash beans if you want. I like mine quite soft and not too thick. Serve your Nigerian stewed beans with garri, plantain, agege bread or akamu.

Other Nigerian beans recipes on the blog

Moi Moi Elewe

Akara

How to peel beans with blender

Deluxe Beans Porridge

Print Recipe

Stewed Beans (Ewa Riro)

Stewed beans is another popular Nigerian beans recipe. Ghanaian called it red red and the Yoruba's calls it Ewa riro. Stewed beans can be made with black eyed peas or honey beans. I have used black eyed peas for this recipe.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: African, Nigerian

Keyword: Ewa riro, Stewed beans

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

• 450 g Brown Beans or black-eyed peas
• 1 cup Nigerian Pepper mix substitute with cayenne pepper
• Handful dried catfish washed (optional)
• Handful bonga fish washed and deboned (optional)
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1-1.5 cups palm oil adjust to preference
• 1 tsp Bouillon powder or 2 Maggi cubes. optional
• Salt use according to preference but you can start with 1tsp
• 2 tbsp ground crayfish

Instructions

• Place a pot on medium heat, add rinsed beans, enough water to cook and add half of the chopped onions, and bring to boil until tender. This might take a while, but quicker if you have a pressure-cooking pot. Add water in between to avoid the beans drying out/ burning.
• Once the beans are tender, reduce the heat or set aside. Place a clean/dry pan on medium high heat, pour in palm oil and leave to heat up for about 2-3 minutes, add the remaining chopped onions and continue frying till onion is transparent this should be for another 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the onions and avoid getting burned by the hot oil too

  (keep your kitchen well ventilated when doing this process. Remember you are not bleaching the oil, you are only frying to melt the palm oil to rid curdling in the mouth when eating and to also allow the onion flavour to be infused in the oil)
• Add pepper mix, bouillon/Maggi, salt, dried fish and crayfish to the beans (check if you need to add water and adjust accordingly) stir till well combined.
• Add the fried sauce to the cooked beans and stir again till all is combined. (check for salt and seasoning and adjust to preference)
• Leave the beans to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes on low heat. Leave to cool and serve immediately

Notes

Tips...
• Substitute dried catfish/bonga with canned mackerel
• Add your salt when beans are soft, if you add it at the beginning of the cooking process, the beans won’t cook in time. This is an old wives tale but I think its true.

Nigerian stewed beans recipe updated with new pictures. Below is one of the pictures I took back in 2015. 

If you made this recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback. Tag me @myactivekitchen on Instagram and save away to your Pinterest.

ATB

Ajoke x