Ekuru

Method

1. Put 120 g of peeled black-eyed beans in a bowl, cover generously with cold water and soak for 2 hours until they swell and a bean crushes easily between finger and thumb. Rub them between your palms and float off any skin flakes that remain, then drain well.
2. Blend the drained beans with 70 ml of cold water, adding the water a little at a time, until you have a completely smooth, thick paste with no grit left — 3 to 4 minutes in a jug blender, stopping to scrape down. The batter should drop heavily from the spoon, not pour.
3. Scrape the paste into a bowl, add 0.25 tsp of salt and beat hard with a wooden spoon or whisk for 3 minutes. The batter should pale, lighten and hold soft ridges — this aeration is what gives ekuru its fluffy crumb. Resist adding anything else; ekuru is plain by design.
4. Soften 2 banana leaves over a flame or in hot water so they fold without cracking, then cup each into a small bowl or ramekin and divide the batter between them, filling no more than two-thirds. Fold the leaves over to seal completely. Sit the parcels in a steamer basket over vigorously simmering water, cover tightly and steam 40 minutes, topping up the water as needed. The ekuru is ready when it feels springy and firm and a skewer comes out clean.