Atassi / Watché Béninois (One-Pot Sorghum-Leaf Red Rice & Black-Eyed Peas with Tomato Sauce) – Authentic Benin Recipe
Benin’s beloved everyday street and home staple pairing earthy beans and rice with tangy tomato sauce.
- Country of Origin
- 🇧🇯 Benin (West Africa, Africa)
- Dietary Profile
- vegan
- Prep Time
- 15 min
- Cook Time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Signature Staples
- Long-grain rice and black-eyed peas cooked together, Fried ripe plantains, Spicy tomato-onion friture sauce, Garlic, Ginger
Ingredients for Atassi / Watché Béninois (One-Pot Sorghum-Leaf Red Rice & Black-Eyed Peas with Tomato Sauce) (4 Servings)
- 1.25 lbs (or 2.5 cups) long-grain rice and black-eyed peas cooked together, prepped into bite-sized pieces
- 1.5 cups fried ripe plantains, washed and trimmed
- 1 cup spicy tomato-onion friture sauce
- 1 medium onion and 3 cloves garlic, finely minced with garlic
- 1.5 tbsp traditional Benin seasoning (ginger, bay leaf, red palm/peanut oil)
- 2.5 cups rich culinary stock or aromatic cooking liquid, plus 2 tbsp cooking oil
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
- Heat oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet over medium heat; sauté the onion, garlic, and garlic until golden.
- Add ginger, bay leaf, red palm/peanut oil along with long-grain rice and black-eyed peas cooked together and fried ripe plantains, searing for 4–5 minutes to build savory depth.
- Stir in the rinsed grains/rice so every grain is coated in the spiced oil, then pour in warm stock.
- Bring to a simmer, cover tightly with a lid, and cook on low heat for 18–20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and tender.
- Rest off the heat for 5 minutes, fluff gently with a fork, and garnish with spicy tomato-onion friture sauce.