Ekuru Bean Cakes with Mild Tomato Sauce

Ekuru is a traditional Nigerian steamed bean cake made from peeled black-eyed peas blended smooth with onion and a little bell pepper, then steamed until firm but tender. Left unspiced and served alongside a separate, mild tomato-pepper sauce, it becomes an easy dish for kids to eat exactly as spicy (or not) as they like.

Because the base itself carries no heat at all, this is a genuinely kid-friendly way to introduce a traditional African dish — the bean cake is soft, mild and a little nutty, and the sauce can be kept gentle for younger eaters. It's a fully plant-based, gluten-free option built almost entirely on black-eyed peas, which brings a good amount of fiber to the plate from the beans themselves.

Steam a double batch and keep extras in the fridge — ekuru reheats well in a covered dish with a splash of water, making it an easy make-ahead lunch through the week.