Entree: Suriname – Southern Culinary Region – Bruine Bonen (Hearty Surinamese brown bean stew simmered with salted pork and warm aromatics)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr 30 min

Total 1 hr 50 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) dried brown beans, picked and rinsed
- 1 lb (454 g) salted pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 8 oz (225 g) smoked sausage, sliced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional for heat)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (5 g) dried thyme
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water or unsalted chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (use sparingly at first because of salted pork)
- 4 cups (800 g) cooked long-grain white rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Soak the dried beans in cold water to cover for at least 8 hours or overnight; drain and rinse before cooking. For a quick soak, cover beans with water, bring to a boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour, then drain.
2. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the salted pork shoulder and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes.
3. Add the smoked sausage and cook 2–3 minutes until it releases some fat. Stir in the chopped onion, garlic, green pepper and scotch bonnet (if using) and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to combine. Add the drained beans, bay leaves, thyme, cumin and pour in the water or broth to cover everything by about 1 inch.
5. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and the stew has thickened. Add more water if needed during cooking.
6. During the last 15–20 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning carefully with salt and pepper (the salted pork contributes salt). Remove bay leaves before serving.
7. Serve the bruine bonen hot over cooked white rice. Leftovers deepen in flavor and refrigerate well for up to 3 days.