Seasoned Black-eyed Peas (Feijão de corda)
A classic Nordeste side dish that is part of the “Baião de dois”, it is also served with other dishes and frequently eaten for lunch in the North-East region. Brazilian cuisine is not a nationally uniform concept: it is very regional. As an example, in the south you will find “House of the North" stores, where they sell northeastern products in southeastern Brazil, because outside Nordeste you cannot find these products! These stores are easily found mainly in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Feijão de corda
* 1 lb. [500 g] dry black-eyed beans (or green beans)
* 1/2 lb. [250 g] Bacon
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
* 4 tablespoons of chopped cilantro (coriander)
* 2 tablespoons of oil
* 2 teaspoons paprika
* 1 cup cassava flour
* Salt, to taste
Procedure:
1) The night before cooking the beans, screen and discard the bad or damaged beans and put them to soak in water. The next day drain the water and rinse the beans. Place the beans in a pot with enough water to cover it, and simmer.
2) While the beans are cooking: fry the bacon strips to a crisp; remove the bacon strips from the pan and chop them up. Fry the onion in the bacon fat, then add the garlic and let it brown.
3) Add the chopped green pepper, cilantro and paprika, and keep frying everything.
4) When the beans are cooked, check the water level of the pot where they are cooking and remove all excess water (if any). Empty the contents of the pan into bean pot when the beans are almost cooked; season with salt and simmer another 10 minutes. Last, add the cassava flour and the bacon.
