Koki de Niébé

Description
Very popular all over Cameroon, this dish is made from cowpeas (niébé or black-eyed peas) or other beans (haricots).

Ingredients

 * two to four cups dry cowpeas (black-eyed Peas)
 * 1 or two sweet peppers, cleaned and finely chopped
 * 1 cup palm oil
 * salt
 * Banana leaves (or aluminum foil) and string

Directions

 * 1) Cover the black-eyed peas with boiling water and soak them for at least an hour or overnight. After soaking them, remove the skins and drain them in a colander.
 * 2) Crush, grind, or mash the black-eyed peas into a thick paste.
 * 3) Put the crushed beans in a large bowl and slowly stir in enough water to make the paste smooth.
 * 4) Heat the oil in a skillet for a few minutes, when warmed, add half the oil to the bean paste.
 * 5) Fry the chopped pepper in the remaining oil for a few minutes, then add pepper and oil to the bean paste. Add salt to taste and mix well.
 * 6) Warm the banana leaves for a half-minute in a pot of boiling water
 * 7) Remove the center rib of each leaf by cutting across it with a knife and pulling it off.
 * 8) Fold the banana leaves to completely enclose the ingredients in a packet two or three layers thick.
 * 9) Place sticks or a wire basket on the bottom of a large pot. Carefully stack the packets on the sticks, add enough water to steam-cook them (
 * 10) Cover tightly and boil for 1 to 3 hours. The finished Koki should be cooked to the center, like a cake.