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Gbegiri

By Yewande Komolafe
Bean soup topped with a trio of abula.
Photo by Kelly Marshall

Known as gbẹ̀gìrì in Yorùbá and miyan wakye in Hausa, this bean soup delights in its simplicity. Onions, crayfish, and palm oil make for a straightforward set of ingredients; the real commitment comes from puréeing the soup itself. In Lagos, it’s often served as a trio of multicolored complements called abula consisting of àmàlà, gbẹ̀gìrì, and ewédú, topped with ọbẹ̀ or ata dín dín. It’s a visually striking presentation in a single bowl. On its own, gbẹ̀gìrì is comfort food exemplified.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘My Everyday Lagos' by Yewande Komolafe, one of our favorite cookbooks of 2023. Buy the full book on Amazon.

What you’ll need

Cooks' note:

If using unpeeled beans, soak ahead for 4 hours and up to 12 hours. Peel the beans by sliding them together using both hands. The skins should float to the top of the liquid and you can pour off and discard them. Repeat this process until the beans are mostly all peeled.

Beans can be purchased peeled, but if you cannot locate them and you do not peel your beans in advance, you can always strain the puréed bean mixture through a fine strainer.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

¼ cup red palm oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, stemmed
4 garlic cloves
1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, scrubbed
1 Tbsp. ground dried crayfish
2 cups dried peeled beans (see note), such as honey beans, black-eyed peas, or peeled mung beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the Scotch bonnet pepper, garlic, ginger, and crayfish. Sauté until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the peeled beans and enough water to cover up to 2 inches above the top. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.

    Step 2

    Cook until the beans are completely tender and falling apart into the sauce, adding in more water if necessary—it should look like a chunky soup at this point. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Move the soup to a blender, purée with 1 cup of water until smooth, and return the soup to the pot. Serve immediately or keep the soup warm over low heat.

KOMO_MyEverydayLagos_CVR_v2.indd
Reprinted with permission from My Everyday Lagos by Yewande Komolafe copyright © 2023. Photographs by Kelly Marshall. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from Amazon or Penguin Random House.
TagsCookbooksNigerianWest AfricanAfricanSoupSoup/StewBean and LegumeVegetableGingerHerbs & SpicesSimmerBlack-Eyed PeaBlender

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