CaribSeek | CaribSeek Recipes | Haiti Recipes

Buy Book

Polenta, Beans and Coconut
Maya Moulen Kole Ak Pwa Ak Kokoye -
Polenta aux Haricots Rouges et a la Noix de Coco

by Mirta Yurnet-Thomas

There are two ways to make this dish: a quick and easy way and a tastier, more natural, but more time-consuming way. Dominique Thomas, who loves to cook typical African dishes, makes this dish from time to time.

Servings: 4 to 6

Easy Way:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• ¼ cup ground spices
• 2 (15½-ounce) cans red kidney beans
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1(13½-ounce) can coconut milk
• 4 cloves
• 1 cup coarse cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Heat oil. Add ground spices and sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat. Fry the beans and add seasoned salt for 5 minutes. Add coconut milk and cloves and let boil for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add cornmeal and salt. Lower heat and cover. Let cook for 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Tastier Way:

• 1 cup dried red kidney beans
• 1 coconut
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
• ¼ green bell pepper, minced
• 2 parsley sprigs, destemmed and minced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cloves
• 1 cup coarse cornmeal

Boil kidney beans in 6 cups water, uncovered, on medium heat for 1½ hours or until beans are fork tender. Strain beans and keep liquid.

Crack the coconut open. Dislodge coconut from the shell and grate it. Boil grated coconut in 4 cups water, uncovered, on medium-low heat for ½ hour. Strain coconut and set water aside.

In a saucepan, heat oil. Fry the cooked beans with the onion, garlic, green pepper, and parsley for 5 minutes. Add coconut water and bean water (total 4 cups), salt, black pepper and cloves. Bring to a boil and add cornmeal. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. You want liquid to evaporate but you do not want cornmeal to stick to the pot.

More recipes by Mirta Yurnet-Thomas

A Taste of Haiti
by Mirta Yurnet-Thomas and the Thomas Family

 

Advertisement