Thick, creamy cornmeal cooked until smooth and firm, served with a savory sauce of red beans, tomato, and garlic. Haiti's most affordable and filling staple.
Ingredients
2 cups coarse yellow cornmeal
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 can red kidney beans, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 sprig thyme
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole
250ml water for sauce
Instructions
1Bring four cups of salted water to a boil in a heavy pot. Slowly whisk in cornmeal in a thin, steady stream to avoid lumps.
2Reduce heat to low and stir continuously for five minutes until the mixture thickens and begins to pull from the sides of the pot.
3Add oil and continue stirring for ten more minutes until very thick and smooth. Cover and keep warm.
4For the sauce, heat oil in a saucepan. Cook onion and garlic until soft. Add tomato paste and cook two minutes.
5Add beans, water, thyme, and whole Scotch bonnet. Simmer fifteen minutes until sauce thickens. Remove pepper and thyme.
6Mound cornmeal on plates and top with the bean sauce. Serve hot.
Did You Know?
Mayi moulen with sauce pwa is considered the most democratic meal in Haiti because it is affordable enough for everyone to enjoy.