- 350g/12oz dried black-eyed beans
- 900g/2lb sirloin steak, cut into 1cm/½ in cubes
- 225ml/8fl oz vegetable oil
- 100ml/3½fl oz red palm oil or vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4cm/2in piece ginger, grated
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 Scotch bonnet chilli, chopped
- 3 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cook the dried beans in a large pan of boiling water for about 20 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large casserole pan and brown the beef on all sides over a medium heat. Remove and set aside.
- Heat the red palm oil in the same pan and fry the onions for 2-3 minutes, until slightly softened. Add in the garlic, ginger and dried chilli flakes and stir. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, stock cubes, thyme and Scotch bonnet chillies and season with salt and pepper. Cook the tomatoes for 10 minutes before adding in the beef and beans and cooking on low for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the stew cooks, heat the remaining vegetable oil in a deep frying pan and shallow fry the plantain slices in batches for 2–3 on each side until golden-brown. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Top the stew with the plantains before serving.