Maharage ya Nazi: Coconut Beans
Tender white beans in a gently spiced coconut and tomato sauce, served with rice.
- Cuisine
- Swahili cuisine
- Meal type
- Main course
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
Recipe
Maharage ya nazi is a dish associated with the Swahili cooking traditions of East Africa. This practical version uses canned white beans and coconut milk for a quick, comforting meal.
Start the rice first so it finishes while the beans simmer. The sauce should be creamy and spoonable; add water only if needed.
Practical cooking
Ingredients
4 servings
For the coconut beans
- 720 g canned white beans (drained and rinsed)
- 400 g canned chopped tomatoes (including their juice)
- 400 ml unsweetened full-fat canned coconut milk
- 2 pc garlic cloves (finely chopped or crushed)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cumin (optional)
- ½ tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
- water (only if needed)
For serving
- 240 g dry white rice
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 624 kcal2602 kJ
- Fat
- 24.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 18.0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 76.2 g
- Sugars
- 6.5 g
- Fibre
- 16.3 g
- Protein
- 17.8 g
- Salt
- 2.1 g
Calculated estimate. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients used.
Livsmedelsverket · Livsmedelsdatabasen 2026-07-01 · CC BY 4.0 · Attribution
Cook flow
Instructions
Total: 25 min
- 1
Prepare the rice and beans
Cook the rice
Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Start it before the beans so both are ready at about the same time.
Prepare the ingredients
Drain and rinse the beans. Chop or crush the garlic, and stir the coconut milk if it has separated.
Warm the aromatics
Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the garlic for 20–30 seconds, then stir in the coriander, turmeric and optional cumin for about 15 seconds, taking care not to burn them.
Cook the tomatoes
Add the tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the beans and coconut milk
Add the drained beans, coconut milk, salt and pepper. Stir gently, keeping the beans intact.
Simmer gently
Simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water. For a thicker sauce, mash a spoonful or two of beans against the side of the pan.
Season and serve
Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve the coconut beans hot alongside the rice.
Refine
Tips and variations
After cooking
Storage and serving
Knowledge graph