Destination
Mombasa
The story
Mbaazi ("m-BA-zee") is the pigeon-pea stew that anchors Swahili coast breakfast: dried pigeon peas simmered slowly in coconut milk with sweated red onion, tomato, garlic, cumin and coriander, until the peas turn creamy at the edges and the coconut milk has reduced to a light gravy. Served in a wide bowl with two or three mahamri (cardamom-scented Swahili doughnuts) on the side for tearing and dunking. A working-day breakfast in Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu; also common at Sunday brunch across the coast.
Method
If using dried peas: drain the soaked peas and place in a large pot with the salt and water to cover by 5cm. Simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender. Drain (reserve 200ml of the cooking liquid). If using tinned peas, skip this step and just drain and rinse.
Warm the oil in a large heavy pan over medium heat. Sweat the onion 8 to 10 minutes until soft and golden.
Add the garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Toast 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes. Cook 6 to 8 minutes until they break down and the mixture is thick and jammy.
Pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Stir in the cooked pigeon peas. If the mixture looks too thick, add a splash of the reserved bean cooking liquid (or water). Simmer 15 to 20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the coconut milk has reduced slightly and the peas are creamy at the edges.
Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and most of the chopped coriander (save some for the plates). Taste for salt.
Ladle into wide bowls. Scatter with remaining coriander. Serve with warm mahamri on the side for dunking, chilli sauce and lime wedges.
Tips
- Tinned pigeon peas are the modern shortcut. Widely available at African, Caribbean and Indian grocers. Drain, rinse and add to the pan; total cooking time drops to 30 minutes.
- Full-fat coconut milk, not light. Full-fat coconut milk (from a tin, unshaken) gives the sauce its body. Light coconut milk turns the dish watery.
- Coriander, both stalks and leaves. Chop the stalks and add them earlier in the cook (with the tomato); the leaves go in at the end. Both parts contribute.
- Mahamri is the traditional partner. Cardamom-scented Swahili triangular doughnuts (mahamri or mandazi) are the specific bread that goes with mbaazi. If you can't make them, a crusty white bread is a fine substitute; the wrong bread (soft supermarket sliced) dulls the whole meal.
- Best on day two. Like most bean stews, mbaazi improves overnight as the flavours integrate. Make Saturday evening for Sunday brunch.
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