Blackeye Beans with Chicken and Coconut Milk

This dish is a traditional food that in the Caribbean is called “dove below”; is high in protein Before I share this recipe, I thought it would be a good idea to share a bit about the main ingredients.

Black-eyed beans are rich in fiber, high in protein and low in fat -soluble fiber- which helps eliminate cholesterol from the body and, being a food rich in potassium and low in sodium, helps reduce blood pressure.

Coconut is a delicious fruit that is grown in warmer climates and has many uses, from drinking the liquid called “coconut water”, eating the young jelly, or grating the dried jelly to make coconut milk or coconut oil. Coconut milk over the last decade has become very popular for its nutritional benefits like healthy fats, protein, and calcium.

This recipe can easily be made into a vegetarian dish by simply removing the chicken.

Black eyed beans with chicken and coconut milk

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups dry black beans soaked overnight

½ can of coconut milk plus ¼ cup of water

1 whole chicken breast cut into chunks

1 large onion finely chopped

4 finely minced garlic cloves

A handful of fresh coriander

4 medium ripe tomatoes or 1 small can of chopped whole tomatoes (no juice)

1 tablespoon chili flakes (optional)

Salt to taste

Process:

• Rinse soaked beans, add 3 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook 10 min. and wring out excess water.
• In a separate pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the chicken, onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken is golden brown.
• Add precooked beans to chicken, coconut milk, water, tomatoes and cilantro, chili flakes, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30-45 minutes.

The beans should be soft and the chicken should be cooked to a thick consistency.

Serve hot over brown rice

Larger batches can be made and perfect for freezing.

You can also use pigeon peas instead of black-eyed peas.

Enjoy!