Sòs Pwa Nwa (Black Bean Puree)

November 16, 2014

2 hours

easy

5-8

Sòs Pwa Nwa (Black Bean Puree) is one of my favorite Haitian dishes. Although it is a favorite now, it was a different story when I was younger; my mom had to force feed me sòs pwa (bean sauce) because I hated it! It was good for me so naturally as a child, of course I hated it! And you know once your parents say “Li bon pou ou!” (“It’s good for you!”) all bets are off!

I can’t pinpoint exactly when I started liking this stuff but I’m so happy that I did because really and truly it is good for you; it’s made out of beans for heaven’s sake. Black beans are a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals which makes them a good addition to any diet.

I learned how to make this dish from my mother. When boiling the beans she would always add scallions and garlic to the water. When I asked her why she does that, her response was because it helps reduce gas, now I don’t know how true that is (I’m not a nutritionist) but it sounds good so I hope it is true LOL.

In Haïti, if you didn’t own a blender the women would usually mash the beans using a pilòn (motar & pestle). After mashing them they will then use a strainer and the liquid that the beans were boiled in to make it smooth. It sounds like a lot but it really isn’t, I would compare it to mashing potatoes; the fact that they are soft makes mashing them easy. With that being said; Thank God for a blender! LOL In the past my mom would blend her beans in a blender (I forget which one) and after blending she would have to use a strainer to run the puree through it to make it smooth (extra work). I used the Nutri-bullet to blend down my beans and it came out super smooth so I didn’t have to use a strainer (Thank you Lord!).

Black bean puree is usually served over rice or polenta and some people (myself included) just eat it alone kinda like a black bean soup. It is that good! I hope you try and like this recipe as much as I do.
Enjoy!

Watch me make Sos pwa nwa here:

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Ingredients

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	2 cups of black beans, thoroughly rinsed
	10-14 cups of water
	2 garlic cloves
	2 sprigs of scallion
	2 sprigs of thyme
	1 teaspoon sea salt
	1/8 teaspoon clove powder or 2-3 whole cloves
	1 tablespoon butter
	2 tablespoons creamed coconut
	1 scotch bonnet/hot pepper (optional)
	1/3 cup sliced onions
	1/4 cup oil

Directions

1.

Add beans, water, garlic and scallion to a large pot and boil for 1 hour and a half or until tender. Add water continuously as needed during the boiling process (I usually add 4 more additional cups, adding 1 cup at different intervals).

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2.

Once beans are tender, drain them along with garlic, scallion and reserve liquid. Set aside ½ cup of beans for later use.

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3.

Using a blender, add beans, garlic, scallion, clove powder with reserved liquid. If liquid is not enough, you may add 1 cup of water. Pass blended puree through a sieve if it is too thick for your liking (you decide the thickness of your bean puree).

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4.

Using the same large pot, on low heat, add blended puree, reserved beans, two cups of water, salt, creamed coconut, butter, thyme, scotch bonnet and stir, being sure not to puncture the pepper.

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5.

In a small saucepan, on low heat add oil, onions and sautee lightly for about 2-3 minutes. Pour oil and onions into the puree while hot, stir then salt to taste and let it simmer for 10 minutes then serve.

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