Burkina Faso

This week I cooked a recipe from Burkina Faso called Boussan Touba. The recipe seemed a little simple to taste very good, but I tried it anyway. I am so glad I did! The ingredients transform into a nutty, savory, cruchy and chewy cake that I will definitely be making again. I already bought the ingredients to do it again.

Blackeyed peas are one of the main agricultural products of this country (beside millet and peanuts) and is the main ingredient in this particular recipe. The actual name of the dish pokes fun at the "characteristic" large ears of one of the ethnic groups, but I think it should mean "bean recipe you'll never want to live without".

Though the recipe can vary a little, this is the one I used:

1 can of blackeyed peas, drained
2 carrots, diced small
1 onion, minced
1 egg, whisked
1/3 c flour
bread crumbs to coat (can also use flour to coat)
oil for frying
salt and pepper to taste

Sweat the carrots and onion until the carrots are soft (probably about 10-13 minutes) and add some salt and pepper. Sweating is a method of releasing the fragrance of these ingredients without searing them. They shouldn't turn brown, just get softer. Add the can of peas and heat them through. Transfer the ingredients to a bowl and mash them. It doesn't have to be perfect, there should be pieces of carrot and small chunks of onion and individual beans, but try to mash up some of it. You can use a blender if you want.
I don't own many kitchen appliances, so I find other ways of blending, mashing, and reheating. I figure most of the foods I'm cooking weren't originally made with a Cuisinart, so I should be okay.

Add the whisked egg and stir to combine. Add the flour in small amounts, making sure to combine it all thoroughly. The mixture should be thick and sticky at this point. Add more or less flour to your liking. Then use spoons to measure out balls of the mixture which you will coat with flour or bread crumb. Flatten them with your palm and fry them in oil (about 2-3 minutes per side). Light salt and pepper when they come out, then put them in your face!

As you can see from my photo, the oil was a little hot for the top bean cake but it still tasted fantastic. They're usually eaten over rice and I threw together a little butter lettuce with some parsley oil on top. The flavor is incredible and the protein in the beans and egg keep you full like you've had a serving of meat.

Bon Appetit!