Step 1 of 5
Diri kole ak pwa
Drain the soaked beans, cover with the fresh water and simmer, lid ajar, for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 until tender but intact. Do not salt yet. Drain, keeping every drop of the dark liquid.
Watch: Dried kidney beans must be boiled hard for the first 10 minutes to destroy a natural toxin. Then lower to a simmer.
Questions about this dish
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Diri kole ak pwa take?
9 hr 50 min all in — 10 min prep, 1 hr 40 min cook, 8 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Saucepan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp (to taste).
What can I use instead?
Kidney beans → Black beans or pigeon peas. Both are Haitian variants. Pigeon peas need less cooking.
What should I watch for?
Dried kidney beans must be boiled hard for the first 10 minutes to destroy a natural toxin. Then lower to a simmer.
Any tips from this recipe?
Tinned beans work in a hurry: use two tins with their liquid plus water to make 800 ml. The colour will be paler. The crust on the bottom, gratin, is scraped up and served to whoever asks first. The same method with black beans is diri ak pwa nwa, and with pigeon peas diri ak pwa kongo.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.