If, like me, you enjoy cooking beans, then here’s a list of life-changing hacks that will take your beans game from a 10 to 1,000 at once. These tips are tested and trusted.

1. Adding potash will speed up the cooking process.

Tested and trusted. Saves gas and kerosene and doesn’t change the taste of the beans.

2. Fresh pepper will give it a better taste than ata gungun.

FRESH PEPER (ATA RODO) – 360 New Market

Yes. Blend the right amount and add it to the beans. I hope you know that tomatoes have no business being in beans?

PS: Ata gungun is ground pepper. That powdered one you buy N20 per sachet. Don’t lie, we know you’re a regular customer.

3. Instead of using seasoning cubes, you can chop large onion bulbs in it for taste.

Now wey onions don cost, how we go take run am? I recommend returning to the seasoning cubes until onions return from war.

4. Slicing plantains inside the beans is greater than frying plantains and adding it to the beans.

This is greater.
This comes next.

Boiling plantain with the beans means that the plantain gets the seasoning and pepper the beans will get too. It means that the overall taste of the beans will improve and there’s extra sweetness. Don’t fault it if you haven’t tasted it.

I said what I said.

5. You really should be adding fish to your beans.

Here’s how I do it: I season and boil the fish before I start cooking the beans. I add the fish last after I’ve removed the bones removed and scattered the fish. I add the water from the fish too. Improves taste.

6. Liver and beans also make a great combination.

Liver And Kidney Sauce Recipe - Sisi Jemimah

This was an experiment that went well. I bought a chunk of liver in Ibadan for N200 and decided to try it in beans. I seasoned and boiled it, and then chopped it into bits. It was like adding fried liver chops to fried rice. For the beans though, I didn’t fry the liver. I added the bits like that. It came out really well!

What’s more? I did a triple garnish combo: fish, plantain and liver. My goodness!

7. In terms of how long it takes to cook and how it turns out, Milk beans is bottom-tier.

Beans Oloyin ~One Paint - GoMarket

Milk beans is the fairer version of honey (oloyin) beans. Tastes okay, but it’s really bottom tier. It takes a long time to get soft, and when it does, it just scatters in the post like a mash. Won’t recommend. I only cook it when there’s light and the electric cooker is free. Let us waste each other’s time together.

BONUS: Ugu bangs in beans.

Signature Beans porridge Recipe by EMA's Signature Recipes-AbjMom - Cookpad

I was actually sceptical about this until I tried it. No, I didn’t cook it; a friend’s aunt offered me a plate when I went visiting. I think the combo is an Igbo thing, because another Igbo friend confirmed that it’s a well known combination.

I’m yet to try cooking it on my own. I’ll get the recipe and try it. When I do, I’ll recommend my findings.


Here’s one other thing I get into: Ranking foods! It goes up on Zikoko’s Instagram and website every Friday by 9AM. It’s a nice opportunity to disagree with my food choices and agree that I’m a minister of enjoyment.

What’s The Best Thing To Eat Bread With? We Ranked Them All


COMPONENT NOT FOUND: donation

OUR MISSION

Zikoko amplifies African youth culture by curating and creating smart and joyful content for young Africans and the world.