@brighteyes847: Cherokee Bean BREAD-COOKING WITH BRIGHT EYES Long before anyone thought to put cornbread in a skillet, it was wrapped and boiled. 🫘 Cherokee bean bread, su-ta-lo-ni, is cornmeal and whole cooked beans bound with hot liquid, packed into softened corn husks and simmered until the loaf sets firm. No fat, no eggs, no oven. Just corn and beans, two of the Three Sisters, doing all the work between them. Traditionally the cornmeal was treated with water strained through hardwood ashes, which sweetened the corn and turned it faintly golden. A teaspoon of baking soda stands in for that today and gets you remarkably close. Makes 8 small loaves | Total time 1 hour 15 minutes INGREDIENTS 16 dried corn husks 2 cups fine stone-ground cornmeal 1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or October beans, drained, liquid reserved 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 3/4 cups hot bean cooking liquid or hot water, about 200°F Kitchen twine INSTRUCTIONS 1. Soak the corn husks in hot water 30 minutes until soft and pliable. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. 2. Whisk the cornmeal, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. 3. Pour in the hot liquid a little at a time, stirring, until you have a stiff dough that holds its shape when pressed. Let it rest 10 minutes so the meal drinks it in. 4. Fold in the beans gently with a spatula, keeping them whole. 5. Divide the dough into 8 portions. Shape each into a flat oval about 3 by 5 inches and 1 inch thick. Wrap in two overlapping husks and tie snugly with twine. 6. Lower the parcels into the boiling water, drop to a steady simmer, and cook 45 to 50 minutes. They are done when firm to the touch and a thin knife comes out clean. 7. Lift out and drain, rest 10 minutes, then unwrap and serve hot. Refrigerate leftovers below 40°F within two hours and steam them to reheat. If dried husks are not available, parchment squares tied with twine will hold the loaves together just fine, though you do give up a little of that sweet corn perfume. Was boiled or steamed bread ever part of your family table, or was the skillet always the way?

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Thursday 20 August 2026 12:38:47 GMT