Liberian Beans Torborgee
Liberian Beans Torborgee is a thick, palm-oily, spicy and tasty stew of African red cow peas or lentils. The dish is often enriched by the addition of dried meat, chicken, pork, or fish, and it is usually associated with the Lorma people inhabiting the area of Lofa County in Liberia.
Ingredients
- Meat Varieties (chicken, smoked fish, meat and seafood)
- 2 lbs Red Cow Peas (1 pack)
- African Red Palm Oil
- ½ tbsp Bicarbonate of Soda/ Country Soda
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 medium Onion, sliced
- 2 Habanero peppers (substitute for cayenne pepper)
- 1 ½ tbsp Chicken Flavor Bouillon
- Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Water
Instructions
- Add 5 cups of water and red cow peas to a large pot. (increase water content as required)
- Boil red cow peas on high-heat for one hour or more until peas are soften and set aside
- In a separate pot, Add meat varieties, dash of salt, onions, garlic powder, ground black pepper, cayenne and habanero peppers. Add water and parboil on medium heat for 30 mins.
- Remove parboiled meat varieties from broth and set aside.
- In the pot with broth, Add chicken Flavor Bouillon, mashed habanero peppers, remaining onions and bring to a boil.
- Add cooked red cow peas and stir evenly.
- Cook red cow peas on medium-heat for 45 mins, until broth simmers down.
- Add meat varieties to cooking pot of beans and any seasonings needed.
- On low-heat, Add red palm oil to pot of beans and stir evenly.
- Mix Bicarbonate of Soda and a dash of water. Add soda mixture to pot of beans. This is the ingredient that gives the soup that special taste and makes the soup different from other bean soup.
- When the soda is added, it makes the soup to foam a lot. In this way, the real Torborgee is cooked.
- Turn off heat and cool down for 10 mins.
- Served Liberian Beans Torborgee with Rice