Mayi moulen ak sòs pwa — cornmeal polenta and bean sauce
A creamy cornmeal polenta topped with a sauce of simmered red beans. The quintessential Haitian popular dish: nourishing, filling, deeply rooted in daily life.
A creamy cornmeal polenta topped with a sauce of simmered red beans. The quintessential Haitian popular dish: nourishing, filling, deeply rooted in daily life.
You think I only eat fire and rum? Think again, my little one. The old Baron also loves mayi moulen, the thick porridge of peasants, with a good pwa sauce on top. That's real life: a simple, hot dish that sticks to your bones. Serve me a steaming bowl next to my bottle, and we'll talk about the living and the dead, quietly.
- •Cornmeal — two bowls (polenta base)
- •Red beans — one bowl (protein sauce)
- •Oil (avocado / palm depending on availability) — a drizzle (binder and flavor)
- •Garlic, onion, thyme, chili — to taste (épis seasoning)
- •Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Mayi moulen ak sòs pwa — cornmeal polenta and bean sauce
A creamy cornmeal polenta topped with a sauce of simmered red beans. The quintessential Haitian popular dish: nourishing, filling, deeply rooted in daily life.
Why this dish? Mayi moulen is the daily dish of the countryside from which the Gede come: feeding the Baron what one eats every day is inviting him to the family table.
You think I only eat fire and rum? Think again, my little one. The old Baron also loves mayi moulen, the thick porridge of peasants, with a good pwa sauce on top. That's real life: a simple, hot dish that sticks to your bones. Serve me a steaming bowl next to my bottle, and we'll talk about the living and the dead, quietly.
Ingredients (period version)
- Cornmeal — two bowls (polenta base)
- Red beans — one bowl (protein sauce)
- Oil (avocado / palm depending on availability) — a drizzle (binder and flavor)
- Garlic, onion, thyme, chili — to taste (épis seasoning)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Cornmeal (medium grind) — 250 g (polenta)
- Cooked red beans — 400 g (1 can) (sauce)
- Onion + 3 garlic cloves — 1 onion (aromatic base)
- Fresh thyme — a few sprigs (flavor)
- Chili (optional, as a nod to the Baron) — 1 small (light fire)
- Oil — 2 tbsp (cooking)
- Water or broth — 1 liter (polenta cooking)
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Sauté onion, garlic, and thyme in oil. Add beans with a little of their liquid, mash some, and let simmer for a thick sauce. Season with salt.
- Separately, bring salted water to a boil, sprinkle in cornmeal while whisking to avoid lumps.
- Cook over low heat for 20-25 min, stirring, until a thick and creamy polenta forms.
- Spoon polenta into a bowl, make a well, and pour the bean sauce into it.
- Serve hot.
How it was made : Maize and beans, both of American origin, became pillars of Haitian peasant diet after colonization. Mayi moulen ak sòs pwa is an economical staple dish, cooked with the typical Creole épis (aromatic blend).
The contemporary twist : Mold the polenta into a small dome, stick a mini cross made of toasted bread on top: the Baron's edible grave.
Sources : Mona Cassion Destiné, La Cuisine de chez nous: Haitian Cuisine (1998)
Baron Samedi · Charactorium
