Wash and peel the skin of the beans by hand, blender or food processor.
Place beans in a pot and add enough water to cover it by up to 1-inch. Boil over high heat until the beans is soft. keep topping up with water if it is drying out.
Keep boiling until beans is so soft it is starting to disintegrate and get mushy.
While the beans is cooking, grind crayfish, onions and scotch bonnet, set aside.
Pick out the dry flesh of shawa if using and grind into powder, set aside.
Take beans off the heat and if there is not much water remaining in it, add 1/2 cup stock or water into the beans.
Using the ijabe (cooking broom) mash beans until it turns into a puree (really work the beans) or use a blender (see notes below).
Pour beans into a sieve and using a wooden spoon, gently push the beans through leaving behind any chaff present.
Pour the creamy beans back into a pot.
Stir in palm oil, ground pepper, ground shawa, seasoning cubes, salt and Cameroun pepper.
Cook until the beans turn a vibrant yellow and thicken, stirring from time to time, about 10 minutes.
Take off the heat and serve immediately.
Gbegiri can be eaten with Omi obe, Okro, Ewedu, Ogbono etc.