Recipe: How To Prepare Gbegiri, The Bean Soup

 

Gbegiri
soup is a tasty Nigerian soup indigenous to the Yoruba people which is
an ethnic group located primarily in western part of Nigeria. It’s made
from pureed beans and has a slightly watery texture (Just like ogi mixed with cold water just before hot water is added). It’s usually cooked plain and served alongside ewedu (Jute soup) and buka stew which
is where the meat and assorted offal comes from. The traditional meal
accompaniment for this soup is amala although you can also take it with
any “swallow” of  choice.

Things you’d need

• Ijabe (Traditional broom whisk) Or Blender

Ingredients:::

• 1 cup Honey beans

• 1 cooking spoon palm oil

• 3 Ata Rodo”Scotch bonnet/Habanero Pepper”(You can also use cayenne pepper) – Ground

• 1 tsp. Akaun “Ground Potash”- Optional (to soften the beans)

• Iru “Locust beans” – Optional

• 1 Seasoning cube

• Salt to taste

Directions:::

Step 1: Place the beans in a bowl and wash with your hands to remove the skin. Alternatively, you can also peel the skin by using the blender method HERE.

Step 2: In a medium sized pot, cook the peeled beans in water
with potash till soft. The beans can be cooked without potash although
it will take longer time but it’s definitely healthier. Using the ijabe
broom, mash the beans in the pot (make sure there’s water in it) just
like it’s done when making ewedu. Alternatively, you can use the blender
for this. Simply leave the beans to cool down a little before placing
in a blender and grinding till smooth.

Step 3: Once you’ve gotten a smooth paste either from the
blender/broom, place back on low heat, add the seasoning cube, ground
pepper, palm oil, salt to taste and then stir. Gbegiri soup is a
slightly watery soup so you’d have to add some more water to loosen it
up and reduce the thickness.

Step 4: Add the locust beans (If you’re using) and Leave to
simmer on low heat for about 7 mins. Turn off the burner and serve hot
alongside ewedu, buka stew and amala.

Kitchen Notes:

Gbegiri thickens once it starts to cool down. To loosen it up, a little water can be added when warming.