Recipe of the Week: Haricots koki (bean pudding from NW Province) avec des bananes

This is a delicious meal to be prepared by two or more people, consumed by about 10 (with leftovers), and eaten strictly with the hands. It is traditionally prepared in palm leaves, but we were out at the time of cooking, and so I present here the modified (more practical) approach. Wash well, and enjoy!

1. soak 1/2 or 1/3 bucket white beans in cold water, take out, remove skins
2. soak beans in water for 3 hours, just enough liquid to cover in bucket
3. crush beans to a paste (blender or food processor would work)
4. turn paste in large bowl for 10 minutes, gradually add cold water until buttermilk-like consistency, add salt and other spices as desired
5. in large pot of boiling water, place smalller bowl of palm oil to boil - need 3 or 4 heaping serving spoons of oil
6. mix oil into beans until bright orange, keep water on boil
7. scoop beans into small plastic bags, tie off, double bag, tie off, and puncture the double layers a few times with a needle. each filled bag should be about the size of a large eggplant or nerf football (what?!)
8. boil bags in water, covered, for 2 hours, then remove. should be solid mush - like congealed cous-cous or rice
9. peel lots of unripe bananas (as green as possible, about 3 per diner), steam with salt for 2 or more hours
10. eat by breaking pieces of banana and scooping up some koki, then stuff it all in your mouth ...yummmm!

*i'm trying to upload pictures of this...you will soon see me and maman therese mixing and bagging the orange haricot/oil mixture!