Entrées

Ingredients:

• 4 cups dry black-eyed peas (approx. 8 cups cooked)
• 7 large banana leaves, cans or heavy-duty sandwich bags
• 2 cups palm oil
• salt
• 1 chile pepper
• hemp string

Directions:

1. The night before serving, in a large bowl or pot, soak the beans in water.
2. The morning before serving, use your hands to separate the beans from their casings.
3. Clean the beans in fresh water and mash them into a paste.
4. Place the mashed beans into a mortar and mix with a little water, salt and oil (warmed).
   NB: The oil should redden the paste completely.
5. Cover the bottom of a large pot with a banana leaf folded in half.
6. Heat the 6 remaining leaves.
7. Gently remove some of the veins of the leaves without ripping them and Fold in half.
8. Prepare the string to tie the koki balls.
9. Place the pot on the fire, add 2 cups of water and cover.
10. Place a banana leaf in a small bowl and place about 3 soup ladles of koki paste inside.
11. Bring together the ends of the banana leaf to create a ball.
12. Tie firmly with string and place in the pot.
13. Do the same with the rest of the banana leaves and paste.
14. Cook for about 2.5 hours, adding the same quantity of water every time the pot dries.
15. Let the water evaporate completely before removing from the fire.
16. Untie the koki balls, cut into slices (like meatloaf) and place on a platter before serving.
17. Eat warm, accompanied by boiled ripe plantain, potato, macabo or boiled green banana.
    NB: If you choose to use tin cans instead of banana leaves, use medium-sized cans. Fill them halfway with koki. Place them in the pot with around 2 cups of water. Let cook, adding 2 cups of water every time the pot dries.