1. First you gotta soak the beans overnight. Dump those babies (about 2 cups) in water and squeeze 'em tight. I'm not sure if this helps but it's how Tanzanians do it. Then drain the water and fill your pot up to double the height of your beans. Pick out and floaters and lose particles then put a lid on it and wait until at least the next afternoon.

2. Dice up your favorite vegetables, or if you live in Chidya, the only ones available: tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spinach. Just a note, spinach really makes the broth taste good. If you close your eyes and truly believe, it tastes like chicken broth.

3. Mix the veggies in with the beans and add some salt, the amount really depends on your taste. Light you charcoal stove and wait about 15 minutes making sure the charcoal is heated up evenly throughout your stove. Place the beans on the stove and get a good book because now you can wait for about an hour and a half.

4. After 70 or so pages you can start preparing the rice (you've still got about an hour to go with the beans). Throw rice (about two cups) in a sifter and pick out the rocks and other nasty looking things i.e. bugs, white washed rice, rice shells (I'm not sure what those are actually called but you get the idea), etc.
5. Put the rice in water and hold it tight...so squeeze it like you did the beans. Then drain the water and put about double the amount of water compared to rice in the pot and add cooking oil and salt. Again, the amount goes with your personal tastes.
6. If you have another charcoal stove light it, or use a kerosene one like me. Just a fair warning, the kerosene stove will blow itself out from time to time no matter how much you tender-talk or curse at it; it just doesn't care. Put your rice on and go check the beans.

7. Just kidding, they're not ready. Now grab a coconut, use a hoe blade to crack it in half and get your Mbuzi (or kibao cha nazi)chair out. Don't have one, hmmm...you can use a knife with a serrated edge, or those spoons with the serrated tips, to scrape out the inside of the coconut all the way to the shell. Once you've scraped one half into a bowl, pour in warm water and, yes, squeeze the coconut shavings. Pour the milk through a sifter and repeat once more. This milk can now be added to the beans along with any other flavoring i.e. garlic, basil, oregano, etc.

8. Repeat step 7 with the other half of the coconut and pour it in with the rice. When the rice is ready, take a strong board and place charcoal evenly on it. Put the rice pot on top and put some charcoal on top of the pot-a makeshift oven! The rice should take about 15-20 minutes to dry out.

Back to 'Pilau'

9. Now the beans may actually be ready. If you find the bean broth to be too watery you can throw in some flour at the last minute but be warned: it will clump up quick so you must be ready to stir like crazy. Hopefully the milk will have thickened it up enough.
10. When the rice and beans are ready, stop by your local duka (store) and pick up some sodas, or reach in the fridge for the fresh mango juice you made the other day and enjoy.
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