Morama

Ingredients

Beans

• 800 gmorama beans in their shells, or 500 g shelled

To season

• 1 tbspfine salt
• 1 tbspwater, to dissolve it

Equipment

• hot sand and a fire, traditionally
• or a heavy pan or an oven
• a hammer or a heavy stone, for cracking

Sometimes made into

• a coffee-like drink from the ground roasted bean
• a porridge with maize meal

Directions

1. Shake one: there should be no rattle inside. Discard any with holes, which mean insect damage. The beans are buried in the hot sand and left to roast.
2. Heat a heavy dry pan over a medium heat. Add the beans in a single layer, still in their shells. Stir them constantly with a wooden spoon.
3. Roast them for about twenty-five minutes. An oven at 180C for about twenty-five minutes also works.
4. Take one out and crack it open. The kernel should be golden brown rather than pale. Let them cool enough to handle.
5. Set a bean on a firm surface with a small hollow in it. The shell should split and release the kernel.
6. Use one firm blow rather than several light ones. Pick the kernel out and discard the shell fragments. Seasoning them is done while they are warm.
7. Toss the warm kernels in the salt water. Return them to the dry pan for two minutes. Spread them out and let them cool completely. They keep for about a month before the oil begins to taste stale.

Technique

• Use one firm blow to crack the shell, since several light taps shatter the kernel.
• Roast until the kernel is golden and snaps rather than bends.
• They are high in oil and go rancid within a month or two.

Substitutions

• There is no close substitute, though chestnuts are what the flavour resembles.
• An oven at 180C in place of hot sand.

Variations

• Ground and brewed as a coffee-like drink.
• Cooked into a porridge with maize meal.
• Roasted in hot sand over a fire, which is the traditional method.

History

A desert legume dug up with its tuber by San and Tswana foragers, roasted in hot sand until it tastes of chestnut.

Frequently asked questions

What is Morama?

Morama is a snack from Botswana: large Kalahari bean roasted like a nut, rich and oily. A desert legume dug up with its tuber by San and Tswana foragers, roasted in hot sand until it tastes of chestnut.

How long does Morama take to make?

Morama takes 20 min plus soaking of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 500 g roasted beans. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Morama?

Yes, within limits. There is no close substitute, though chestnuts are what the flavour resembles. An oven at 180C in place of hot sand.

What is the most important thing to get right in Morama?

Take one out and crack it open. The kernel should be golden brown rather than pale. Let them cool enough to handle.