Home » Sugar Beans with a hint of sweetness

Sugar Beans with a hint of sweetness

3-4 Servings ~ 2 hrs 30 min
  • 250g dried sugar beans
  • 600ml Beef stock
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 5 tbsp granulated brown sugar
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 50ml pure vegetable oil
  • ½ medium onion
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 3 tbsp tomato soup powder
  • 60 ml water
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

I personally love sugar beans. This is probably because my mum used to prepare them in a delicious way and also because I was never a boarder! A lot of us  Zimbabweans have memories of sugar beans from boarding school or University. None of them, for the most part, are pleasant memories though! So it may take stepping away from the norm when it comes to preparing these in order for one to become fond of them. This is what I attempted doing here by adding a bit of sugar to the stew, making them sweet and  savoury to a certain extent, but delicious all the same. You may soak the beans overnight. This will cut down on your cooking time. Discard the water afterwards.

Resources/Equipment You Will Need

  • Pot
  • Chopping Board
  • Sharp knife
  • Wooden spoon
  • Bowl

Quick Instructions

  1. Get the ingredients ready. These include 250g dried sugar beans; 600ml Beef stock; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 tsp curry powder; 5 tbsp granulated brown sugar; 2 medium carrots, diced; 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 50ml pure vegetable oil; ½ medium onion
    3 tomatoes, chopped; 2 tbsp tomato sauce; 3 tbsp tomato soup powder ; 60 ml water and 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce.
  2. Put the beans in a pot. Add water/beef stock. (Beef stock will work better as it will add more flavour to the beans.)
  3. Close pot, bring to the boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer until the beans are tender. Put the beans in a separate bowl together with any excess liquid.
  4. Use the same pot to prepare the soup. Heat oil in the pot. Add carrots, garlic, onions and curry powder. Stir until onions are translucent and carrots are a bit cooked but still crunchy (3 minutes).
  5. Add tomatoes and stir. Cook for another 3 minutes. Return cooked beans together with any excess liquid to the pot and stir.
  6. Add the sugar.
  7. Give a good stir to incorporate the sugar into the stew evenly.
  8. Mix the soup powder with the 60 ml cold water to make a smooth paste. Pour this into the bean stew together with the tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Close the pot one last time and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to marry and infuse into the beans. Enjoy!
Also see  Simple Stewed Potatoes

Pictorial Detailed Instructions

Step-1
Get the ingredients ready.

 

Step-2
Put the beans in a pot. Add water/beef stock. (Beef stock will work better as it will add more flavour to the beans.)

 

Step-3
Close pot, bring to the boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer until the beans are tender. Put the beans in a separate bowl together with any excess liquid.

 

Step-4
Use the same pot to prepare the soup. Heat oil in the pot. Add carrots, garlic, onions and curry powder. Stir until onions are translucent and carrots are a bit cooked but still crunchy (3 minutes).

 

Step-5
Add tomatoes and stir. Cook for another 3 minutes. Return cooked beans together with any excess liquid to the pot and stir.

 

Step-6
Add the sugar.

 

Step-7
Give a good stir to incorporate the sugar into the stew evenly.

 

Step-8
Close pot and gently simmer on low heat for 5 minutes

 

Step-9
Mix the soup powder with the 60 ml cold water to make a smooth paste. Pour this into the bean stew together with the tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Close the pot one last time and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to marry and infuse into the beans. Enjoy!

 

Refreshingly tasty!
Refreshingly tasty!

Just a little touch makes all the difference. Do give it a go and you’ll see what I’m talking about! Remember to drop by and let me know how it went down 🙂 Sign up for new recipe alerts by email.