Burundi

The dish

Ibiharage n’ibitoke is a traditional Burundian dish combining beans (ibiharage) and plantains (ibitoke). The dish itself is savory and hearty with great flavors.

What we thought

How delicious this dish was came as a huge surprise for me, as I typically do not like African food. This was a massive hit with my daughter, who went back for seconds. She gave it a 4.5/5, which I think makes this her second favorite dish! I thought the dish was more middle of the road than the rest of the family did. Good, but not nearly as good as some of the other rockstars. 4.2/5.

Ingredients and directions

Ingredients

• 2 plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tbsp oil for the beans + 1 tsp of oil if using yellow plantains
• Salt to taste
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) navy beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup water or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp paprika
• Pinch of chili flakes, optional
• 1 small bay leaf
• ¾ cup water or broth, plus extra as needed
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 2 tsp lemon juice to finish

Directions

1. If the plantains were green, simmer the plantain chunks in a pot of lightly salted water for about 12–18 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain the plantains when done. If the plantains were yellow, heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan) and cook the plantains with a pinch of salt over a low heat until a slightly crispy brown coating appears.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute. add the pepper, coriander, paprika, and chili flakes.
4. Add the chopped tomato and tomato paste. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the kidney beans, navy beans, water or broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash some of the navy beans against the side of the pot and stir them into the sauce. Add small amounts of water if needed to keep the beans moist. Adjust seasoning to make it pop. I used probably 1 tsp of salt and added slightly more coriander and paprika.
7. Spoon the beans into bowls and arrange the warm plantains alongside or on top.