Each time I go to the Caribbean, I feel like I’m in food heaven.
As part of their latest campaign, "New Year's Revolution", Tefal challenged me to use the ActiFry to create something delicious and healthy with a little taste of the Caribbean.
If you're not already familiar with the ActiFry, it's an iconic kitchen appliance sometimes called an "air fryer". It works using hot air and a stirring paddle, meaning you can cook up a big batch of tasty, crispy, evenly cooked chips with just one small spoonful of oil.
But it can also be used to make all sorts of other meals, from meatballs to stir-frys, to cakes (check out my blueberry cake to see how well it works!)
So, with Caribbean flavours on my mind, I grabbed my trusty jar of jerk seasoning marinade from the fridge and got to work on a simple side dish that takes minimal active prep and is packed with beans, lentils and peas that you’ll often find in Caribbean cuisine.
I must stress, this fiery lentils and beans recipe isn’t an authentic Caribbean dish, rather a homage to those wonderful flavours and a way to experience a new dish outside of your normal homecooking.
So, if you tend to stick to only enjoy Caribbean food when out to eat, or even if the only beans you usually to cook with are the ones that you put on toast, and then this is a great way to shake things up!
You might not have heard of some of the pulses we're using, but don't worry, they're all easily found in the World Food's aisle - look for the Caribbean section.
So, let’s plug in the Actifry and make some hot hot hot lentils, beans and peas in jerk marinade.
Here's the full recipe for this fiery lentils and beans dish.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (canola oil)
- 1 large (1) onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves (4) garlic minced
- 1 red or green chilli deseeded and finely chopped (leave out if you like it a little less fiery)
- 2 tbsp jerk seasoning marinade paste
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 4 fresh tomatoes chopped
- 265 g (9.3 oz) green lentils 1 can
- 130 g (4.6 oz) canned red kidney beans ½ can
- 240 g (8.5 oz) canned black eye beans 1 can
- 240 g (8.5 oz) gungo peas (aka pigeon pea) 1 can
- 270 g (9.5 oz) green pigeon peas 1 can
- 700 ml (1.5 pint) vegetable stock hot
Instructions
Put the oil, onion, garlic, chilli and jerk marinade into the bowl of the Actifry and close the lid.
Set to manual mode, temp 220C/425F, set the timer to 10 minutes and press start.
Add the turmeric, tomatoes and all of the lentils, beans and peas, plus the freshly boiled water or stock and close the lid.
Set to manual mode, temp 220C/425F, set the timer to 20 minutes and press start.
Taste to determine if you'd like to add a little more moisture to the dish. If so, simply stir in a splash of freshly boiled water.
And that’s it. An amazingly satisfying, high protein and deliciously fiery side dish.
What did you think of this delicious Caribbean inspired dish?
Print this fiery beans and lentils recipe
Fiery Lentils and Beans - Actifry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (canola oil)
- 1 large (1) onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves (4) garlic minced
- 1 red or green chilli deseeded and finely chopped (leave out if you like it a little less fiery)
- 2 tbsp jerk seasoning marinade paste
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 4 fresh tomatoes chopped
- 265 g (9.3 oz) green lentils 1 can
- 130 g (4.6 oz) canned red kidney beans ½ can
- 240 g (8.5 oz) canned black eye beans 1 can
- 240 g (8.5 oz) gungo peas (aka pigeon pea) 1 can
- 270 g (9.5 oz) green pigeon peas 1 can
- 700 ml (1.5 pint) vegetable stock hot
Instructions
- Put the oil, onion, garlic, chilli and jerk marinade into the bowl of the Actifry and close the lid.
- Set to manual mode, temp 220C/425F, set the timer to 10 minutes and press start.
- Add the turmeric, tomatoes and all of the lentils, beans and peas, plus the hot stock, and close the lid.
- Set to manual mode, temp 220C/425F, set the timer to 20 minutes and press start.
- Taste to determine if you'd like to add a little more moisture to the dish. If so, simply stir in a splash of freshly boiled water.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This is a commissioned post for Actifry.
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Tracy Hanley says
Easy to make and looks delisuos
Alison G Ellis says
I love the fact that this is vegetarian as I am and with a bit of spice for a kick.
Angela W says
I like that it is suitable to eat on my slimming world plan
Helen S says
I'm quite a proficient cook but not very confident with new recipes. I love the way that the ingredients are listed including the sizes of cans etc and that I've heard of everything on the ingredients list too which makes a change, usually I have to google something to find out what on earth it is, not here :)
The instructions are also very clear with clear timings. This is something I will definitely try.
Sylvia Paul says
This sounds very easy to make and is a healthy meal the whole family can enjoy x
Ruth Wollerton says
I love the fact that not only does it look healthy, it sounds scrummy yummy
Diane Wood says
This sounds a very interesting recipe with very colourful ingredients although I've not heard of green pigeon or gungo peas ! It sounds quite easy to make too
Roisin M says
Fabulous prize this would be really handy in the kitchen
Louise Heaton says
It looks easy to make and sounds delicious too
Stephanie Crimes says
This looks absolutely delicious. I'm going to try it out at the weekend mmmmm1