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African Red Beans

African Red Beans reads umami 4.9, allium 4.0 and salinity 3.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Other side, about 2 hr 10 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 4.9 · Allium 4.0 · Salinity 3.6 · Nutty 3.3 · Earthy 3.2 · Sweetness 3.2 · Heat 3.1 · Richness 2.7 · Sourness 2.4 · Fruity 2.0 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Herbaceous 1.0 · Bitterness 1.0 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (9)

• 1 cup dried pinto bean, picked over
• 1 1/4 cups onions, chopped, divided
• 1/4 cup peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 cup canned whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

Time & effort: about 2 hr 10 min (5 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 55.9 kcal, 2.6 g protein, 0.6 g fat, 10.4 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

1. Soak the beans overnight in 2 quarts of water. OR you could quick soak them by putting the beans into a heavy pot and cover with 2 quarts of water, bring to a boil and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the beans soak, uncovered for 1 hour.
2. Bring the pot of soaked beans to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add 1/4 C of the onion and simmer, partly covered, about 1 hour, or until the beans are tender but not mushy. Drain the beans and set them aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil until it is hot but not smoking. Saute the remaining cup of onions until soft and translucent but not brown. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, cayenne pepper, white pepper and salt. Stirring frequently, simmer the mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the beans and cook, uncovered, for about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Caribbean Pepper Pot Soup — Caribbean
• Gongura Mamsam (Goat with Sorrel Leaves) — Indian · Andhra
• Middle Eastern Cinnamon-Spiced Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers — Middle Eastern
• Ground Turkey Enchilada Casserole — Tex-Mex
• Tigadèguèna (Groundnut Sauce with Chicken) — Malian

Keep reading: what umami, allium, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.