Recipe from Cindy Similien-Johnson
Adapted by Francis Lam
- Total Time
- 2 hours (mostly unattended)
- Rating
- 4(106)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This velvety purée of black beans and coconut milk is the perfect accompaniment to Mayi Moulen, a Haitian recipe for garlicky polenta-like porridge. Slices of nutty avocado offer a gentle contrast in texture and another element of richness. It was adapted from the Haitian cooking instructor Cindy Similien-Johnson, who remembers it from her grandmother’s house. —Francis Lam
Featured in: A Haitian Grandmother’s Home-Cooked Porridge
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 5 servings
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 1small onion, chopped
- 2garlic cloves, chopped
- 2scallions, chopped
- 1cup dried black beans, rinsed
- ½cup coconut milk
- ½tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½chicken bouillon cube
- Salt, to taste
- ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (5 servings)
222 calories; 9 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 203 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and scallions until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the beans and 5 cups of water. Bring the water and beans to a boil over medium-high heat, covered, then boil until the beans are soft, about 1½ hours. (This may take longer depending on your beans.) Add water occasionally to keep the beans submerged, if necessary; keep an eye on them, as you may need to add a fair amount of water, depending on your beans and how tight your pot lid is.
Step
2
In a blender, purée the beans and any water left in the pot with an additional 1¾ cups water until very smooth. Force the purée through a fine strainer.
Step
3
Return the bean purée to the pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the coconut milk, butter, parsley, bouillon cube, salt to taste and black pepper. Cook the bean purée, stirring occasionally, until it’s the consistency of a rich gravy. (Adjust with water if necessary.)
Ratings
4
out of 5
106
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Cooking Notes
Anna
You could speed this up considerably using canned black beans.. in which case watch the salt and probably omit the chicken cube. I have always found black beans very difficult to cook... but for a steady boil and where you don't have to watch constantly
, I use a rice cooker.
Sue Llewellyn
Exactly what I planned to write if you hadn't beaten me to it (especially for those of us who own neither a rice cooker nor a slow cooker). Two suggestions: Rinsing the canned beans not only removes the nasty "glop" they're packed in but a lot of the saltiness as well; and a squirt of fresh lime juice brightens up the flavor considerably.
Sara
ALso: Never feel you can only cook black beans if you remembered to soak them the night before. Cook from totally dry, they don't actually take much longer and have a better texture.
Hilary
Black beans are easy to cook in a slow cooker. I put a pound of beans and 5 cups of water on low for 8-10 hours while I'm at work. They are ready to season when you get home.
Christina
I made this along with the mayi moulin and it was delicious! I had to make a couple of substitutions: I only had a can of black beans so I cooked it for the same amount of time that I spent making the cornmeal porridge. I didn't have bouillon, but I had half a can of tomatoes leftover, which gave the beans some oomph without the bouillon. On one level, I feel that I've offended Cindy's Granmè, on the other, I feel like she'd be pleased with my making-do.
Annie
I don't mind turning my kitchen into a disaster zone and spending over an hour cleaning when the recipe is worth it. However, these beans weren't so extraordinary to justify the pots, blender, pressure cooker, and strainer that all had to be cleaned by the time I had the bean gravy. Next time, I will take a cheaters way out, and just give a pot of beans a zap with an immersion blender and then add half a can of coconut milk.
Jenny
Cooked from dried beans, but the amount of liquid left after the beans were soft made a very runny puree - maybe my pot lid was exceptionally snug(?). At any rate, I did not add any additional water and had to simmer the puree for another 30 minutes with the lid off to get a thicker consistency after straining it. Maybe tell cooks how much total liquid (cooking plus extra water) should be returned to drained cooked beans before pureeing...
Otherwise, most delicious with the Mayi Moulen.
Anne
to make it totally vegan I used Trader Joes Vegan Not Chicken Seasoning and no butter...perfect!
Annie
I don't mind turning my kitchen into a disaster zone and spending over an hour cleaning when the recipe is worth it. However, these beans weren't so extraordinary to justify the pots, blender, pressure cooker, and strainer that all had to be cleaned by the time I had the bean gravy. Next time, I will take a cheaters way out, and just give a pot of beans a zap with an immersion blender and then add half a can of coconut milk.
Shanna
Do you use both white and green parts of the scallions?
Andrea
If using a pressure cooker, do not add the extra water in step 2 and consider reducing the cooking water by a cup or so. Otherwise, it takes a while to cook down to a rich gravy.
Isobel
I feel like the proportions of this and the cornmeal dish are off. I ended up with a lot of cornmeal left over, and not much of the bean sauce. Other than that, great dish!
jfashwell
You could speed this up considerably using canned black beans.. in which case watch the salt and probably omit the chicken cube. I have always found black beans very difficult to cook... but for a steady boil and where you don't have to watch constantly
, I use a rice cooker.
Reply
16This is helpful
Cpc
Is there a substitution for "bouillon cubes?" I can't do msg so I avoid nasty chemical products like those cubes. Would chicken stock or Demi-glacé work?
Marie
There is no need to use a bouillon cube. Many Haitian cooks do not use them. The most traditional Haitian cookbooks (by authors such as Niniche Gaillard, Herzulie Magloire-Prophete, Gisele Denis) never include bouillon cubes (Maggi) in the recipes.
Jenny
Cooked from dried beans, but the amount of liquid left after the beans were soft made a very runny puree - maybe my pot lid was exceptionally snug(?). At any rate, I did not add any additional water and had to simmer the puree for another 30 minutes with the lid off to get a thicker consistency after straining it. Maybe tell cooks how much total liquid (cooking plus extra water) should be returned to drained cooked beans before pureeing...
Otherwise, most delicious with the Mayi Moulen.
Sara
"Force the puree through a fine strainer" is a simple instruction, but was not all that easy. I feel like a food mill might make that step easier, but I don't have one to confirm that.
This was a big hit with the family, especially the kids. Nice flavor and texture (the strainer was worth it!). For rich flavor in such a simple preparation, I really recommend dried beans rather than canned.
Sandy
Sorry, I flunked "Fine Strainer" 101. I used a smart stick.
Christina
I made this along with the mayi moulin and it was delicious! I had to make a couple of substitutions: I only had a can of black beans so I cooked it for the same amount of time that I spent making the cornmeal porridge. I didn't have bouillon, but I had half a can of tomatoes leftover, which gave the beans some oomph without the bouillon. On one level, I feel that I've offended Cindy's Granmè, on the other, I feel like she'd be pleased with my making-do.
Anna
You could speed this up considerably using canned black beans.. in which case watch the salt and probably omit the chicken cube. I have always found black beans very difficult to cook... but for a steady boil and where you don't have to watch constantly
, I use a rice cooker.
Hilary
Black beans are easy to cook in a slow cooker. I put a pound of beans and 5 cups of water on low for 8-10 hours while I'm at work. They are ready to season when you get home.
Sue Llewellyn
Exactly what I planned to write if you hadn't beaten me to it (especially for those of us who own neither a rice cooker nor a slow cooker). Two suggestions: Rinsing the canned beans not only removes the nasty "glop" they're packed in but a lot of the saltiness as well; and a squirt of fresh lime juice brightens up the flavor considerably.
Michael H
Cook this the correct way, without canned black beans. You won't regret it.
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