Mixed Bean Indian Stew

Legumes are an important source of proteins for vegetarians, especially when combined or served alongside with grains, and give the body that needed boost of fibre. It is a shame that so many vegetarians and vegans rely on unfermented soy products and pasta. If you miss hotdogs and burgers, well maybe you should keep on eating the real thing instead of buying the processed alternatives that sort of taste like meat but pretty much contain only empty calories and additives. Not that wieners and greasy burgers are a good choice to include in your diet in the first place. Pasta is a good source of complex carbohydrates, but it should not be the mainstay of your diet either. We need to eat a variety of foods, including not only beans and grains, but fruits and vegetables as well. On my blog you will find lots of Indian vegetarian recipes that will nourish you and satisfy your palate. I am a versatile cook, and even if you don't enjoy Indian food there are plenty of other recipes that can grace your table.

This Indian-style stew contains a variety of legumes and, served along with rice or any Indian flatbread, is most satisfying indeed. I like my Indian dishes hot, and if you do too you may want to add a wee bit of fire paste to the pot near the end of the cooking time. Serve with some yogurt to temper the heat if desired.

This is my contribution to this month's No Croutons Required. To celebrate my birthday month, I am asking for spicy soups or salads along with menu suggestions. I will accept entries until the 20th of this month.

Mixed Bean Indian Stew

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on March 16, 2012 A rich, dark and earthy, and filling spicy curry using a mix of beans for a contrast of tastes and textures Print this recipe Beans/Dals: 1/4 cup dried black chickpeas 1/4 cup dried yellow chickpeas 1/4 cup dried red kidney beans 1/4 cup dried whole mung beans 1/4 cup dried split skinless urad dal Paste: 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped 8 - 10 whole cloves 6 - 8 dried whole red chilies 6-inch cinnamon stick, broken into pieces 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne Sauce: 2 tablespoons ghee, butter or oil 1 small tomato, seeded and finely chopped handful of dried curry leaves 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida 2 teaspoons sea salt 1/2 cup coconut milk Garnish: 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or coriander, chopped Instructions: Rinse the beans well and soak overnight with enough water to cover. Drain and transfer to a large pot along with 3 1/4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. In a blender (I used my magic bullet), combine the onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, cloves, dried chilies, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin and cayenne. Blend until you have a smooth paste. In a medium-sized skillet or saucepan, heat the ghee (or butter or oil) over medium heat. When hot, add the paste to the pan and stir and fry for 5 minutes. Now add the tomato, curry leaves, asafoetida and salt. Cook for another 8 - 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the cooked sauce to the beans, along with the coconut milk and simmer for another 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary to reach your desired consistency. Garnish with parsley or coriander and serve hot. Makes 6 - 8 servings

More Indian legume recipes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Chickpea Vindaloo
Dal Kootu
Mung Bean Paneer
Spicy Mung Bean Soup with Coconut Milk

On the top of the reading stack: cookbooks

Audio Accompaniment: Mutek stuff

Kidney Beans with a Cardamom-Yogurt Gravy

If you are looking for a quick and easy midweek meal that is nourishing and filling, this is just the recipe for spice lovers like myself. I adapted this recipe from 660 Curries. This curry has a tart flavor despite the lack of tomatoes, lime juice and tamarind. Do cut down on the spicing if you can't handle the heat, and serve some yogurt on the side to cool the palate. This dish goes well with rice or any Indian flatbread.

Another reminder to submit your favorite vegetarian Indian recipe for a chance to win a lovely cookbook. I will except entries until the end of the month.

Kidney Beans with a Cardamom-Yogurt Gravy

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from 660 Curries Cuisine: Indian Published on February 18, 2012 A simple, filling and nourishing red kidney bean curry with an earthy but tangy flavor Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup dried kidney beans 2 tablespoons ghee or oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 3 - 4 green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 6 green cardamom pods 1 cup plain yogurt 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons rock salt or sea salt 2 teaspoons garam masala 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 2 teaspoons fresh parsley or coriander, chopped for garnish Instructions: Rinse the kidney beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside. Wipe the saucepan clean and heat the ghee or oil on medium heat. When hot, toss in the onions, hot peppers and cardamom pods and stir and fry until the onion is softened, about 5 - 7 minutes. Now whisk in the yogurt and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates. This should take about 15 minutes. Take care not to burn the yogurt. Now stir in the turmeric, cumin and add 2 cups of water, the cooked kidney beans, garam masala and cayenne. Bring this mixture to a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thickened to your desired consistency. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve hot. Makes 4 servings

Other Kidney Bean dishes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Cornmeal-Crusted Kidney Bean and Black Bean Chili
Kidney Bean and Quinoa Salad
Nigerian Baked Beans
Kidney Beans in a Slowly Simmered Tomato Sauce

On the top of the reading stack: 1,000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra

Audio Accompaniment: Vic Chesnutt

Kidney Bean Curry ( Rajma )

Essentially an Indian version of chili that so many of us in the Western world enjoy, there are endless versions of this spicy kidney bean dish enjoyed throughout India. This has always been one of my favorite ways to prepare kidney beans. Rather easy to cook up, you will eagerly be waiting for dinner as the spicy aroma fills the kitchen. Rajma is particularly popular in North India but also enjoyed in South India as well with multiple variations.

This is a substantial dish that goes well with rice or any Indian flatbread of your choosing. A perfect dish for a cold winter day but surely enjoyed any time of the year.

I am sending this off to Chez Cayenne who is hosting this month's edition of My Legume Love Affair, a most popular event started by my dear friend Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Kidney Bean Curry ( Rajma )

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on January 11, 2012 A rich, hearty and spicy red kidney bean curry — like an Indian-spiced pot of chili Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups dried kidney beans 4 - 5 black cardamom pods, lightly crushed 2-inch cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon turmeric 4 1/2 cups water Sauce: 3 tablespoons ghee or a combination of oil and butter 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1-inch piece ginger, grated or minced 1 small clove garlic, minced 3 fresh chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste large handful fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (reserve a bit for garnish) 2/3 cup plain yogurt, whisked 1 tablespoon ground coriander 2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon garam masala + extra for garnish Instructions: Rinse the kidney beans under cold running water and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain the beans and transfer them to a large saucepan along with 4 1/2 cups of water, cardamom pods, cinnamon and turmeric. Bring to a boil, the reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. When the beans are cooked, remove from the heat and set aside. Do not drain. While the beans are cooking prepare the sauce. Heat the ghee or oil and butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, toss in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and cook until the mustard seeds begin to turn grey and splutter and pop. Reduce the heat to medium and add the ginger, garlic and hot chilies to the pan. Stir and fry for a minute or so. Now add the asafoetida and cayenne and stir for a few seconds. Time for the tomatoes and salt to be added to the pan, along with the fresh parsley or cilantro. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Gradually stir in the yogurt, then toss in the ground coriander, fenugreek leaves, ground cumin and garam masala. Continue to cook and stir for another minute or two. Add the sauce to the cooked beans and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, taking care to stir occasionally. If you want a watery version of this dish, add more water during the simmering process. Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls and garnish with a bit of parsley or cilantro, sprinkle with a bit of garam masala and serve. Makes 4 -6 servings

Other kidney bean curries you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Chickpeas, Kidney Beans and Lentils with a Spicy Tomato Sauce
Curried Red Kidney Beans with Paneer Cheese
Kidney Beans in a Slowly Simmered Tomato Sauce
Punjabi Rajma

On the top of the reading stack: River Cottage Everyday Veg

Audio Accompaniment: Octex

Kidney Beans with Green Peas and a Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Considering I have so many cookbooks and bookmarked recipes from other bloggers, it's rather perplexing to think that sometimes I don't know what to make for dinner. When this happens, I often find myself turning to Raghavan Iyer's excellent 660 Curries. My regular readers will know that I have raved about this book before, so I will simply share this adapted version without further ado.

Kidney Beans with Green Peas and a Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from 660 Curries Cuisine: Indian Published on August 23, 2011 A rich, earthy and flavorful spice red kidney bean curry with yogurt and sweet green peas Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup dried red kidney beans 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds a handful of dried or fresh curry leaves 2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced 2 - 3 fresh green chilies, seeded and chopped 2 tablespoons butter or ghee 1 cup water 2 cups frozen peas 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 cup yogurt 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 teaspoons chickpea flour Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak overnight covered in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, and add to a medium saucepan. Cover with several inches of fresh water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are buttery soft. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, combine and crush the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger and hot chilies in a mortar and pestle. Heat the butter or ghee in a medium or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the crushed spice mixture, and stir and fry for a minute. Stir in the cooked kidney beans, and then add the cup of water, along with the sea salt and the frozen peas. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for roughly 5 minutes uncovered. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, cream and chickpea flour in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of water. Add this to the kidney beans, stir and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, uncovered, to thicken and blend the flavours. Makes 4 - 6 servings

More Kidney Bean Curries from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Spicy Kidney Beans with Tomato and Yogurt Sauce
Kidney Beans in a Slowly Simmered Tomato Sauce
Curried Red Kidney Beans with Paneer Cheese
Mint and Potato Rajma

Vegetarian Three Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce

Tempted by yet another recipe from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer, I couldn't resist making this chili from the contemporary curries section on one of the hottest days of the year. This is certainly a recipe I will be revisiting in the future, especially during the colder months, but I will say I very much enjoyed it on a hot and humid day. The nuts provide a wonderful accompaniment to the selection of beans. Mr. Iyer suggests serving this delightful chili with cheese, such as shredded paneer, scallions, sour cream or yogurt or perhaps chopped fresh mango. Packed full of vegetables, legumes and nuts, this is a particularly healthy vegetarian meal, and a most tasty one at that. A big thanks to Mr. Iyer for such a lovely and inspired volume of creative recipes.

Vegetarian Three Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from 660 Curries Cuisine: Indian Published on July 8, 2010 An Indian-style vegetarian three bean chili cooked in a creamy and delicious cashew-pistachio sauce Print this recipe Ingredients: 2/3 cup dried pinto beans 2/3 cup dried red kidney beans 2/3 cup dried black beans 1/4 cup olive or sesame oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 sticks celery, diced 1 carrot, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 green chilies or jalapeños, seeded and diced 2 large tomatoes, diced 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/3 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped Cashew-pistachio sauce: 1/2 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup raw cashews 1/2 cup pistachios 3 cups water Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, transfer to a large saucepan, and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans tender. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare the cashew-pistachio sauce. Combine the pine nuts, cashews and pistachios in a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 cup of the water and blend until you have a gritty paste. Remove and swirl the remaining 2 1/2 cups of water around in the blender or food processor to obtain the remaining paste. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and chilies or jalapeños and cook, stirring often, until the onions begin to brown. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, cayenne, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt and turmeric. Lover the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are softened and begin to thicken. Now add the nut paste to the pan along with the water from the blender or food processor. Stir in the cooked beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the ingredients don't stick to the pan. Reduce the heat on the element if necessary or add a bit more water to reach your desired consistency. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve hot with fresh cooked rice or your favorite Indian flatbread. Makes 8 servings

Other chili recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you would be sure to enjoy:
Smoky Black Bean Chili
Southwest Vegetarian Chili
Cornmeal Crusted Chili

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

Audio Accompaniment: street construction (blah)

Chickpeas, Kidney Beans and Lentils with a Spicy Tomato Sauce

Deciding to revisit an old favorite, I once again made this rich and spicy Indian curry made up of four types of legumes and lots of warming spices. If you don't have black chickpeas on hand, you can substitute yellow chickpeas, but I will note the black chickpeas add a nice texture to the dish as they are a bit chewier than their yellow cousins. This nourishing dish is especially good with brown basmati rice.

This recipe is adapted from 660 Curries, another treasured cookbook that is indispensable for any cook who enjoys Indian food and wants to create unique, often simple, but always tasty and flavourful Indian dishes.

This is also my contribution to My Legume Love Affair, a popular monthly food blogging event started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook and hosted this month by Rachel who posts at The Crispy Cook.

Chickpeas, Kidney Beans and Lentils with a Spicy Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup of dried black chickpeas
1/4 cup of dried yellow chickpeas
1/4 cup of dried red kidney beans
1/4 cup of lentils (I used puy lentils, but you can use urad dal or black lentils)
2 tablespoons of butter, or a mixture of butter and oil
1 generous teaspoon of black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of asafetida
dash of cayenne
2 - 4 dried red chilies
1 large tomato, finely chopped
2 - 4 fresh red or green chilies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnishing

Rinse the chickpeas, kidney beans and lentils in a strainer. Soak overnight in enough water to cover. Drain, transfer to a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the beans are tender - roughly 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat the ghee or butter in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Add the cumin seeds, ground cumin, sugar, salt, coriander, turmeric, asafetida, cayenne and dried chilies. Stir quickly and add the tomatoes and fresh chilies. Stir a few times and cook until the tomatoes are softened - roughly 5 minutes.

Drain off some of the water from the cooked beans and add the tomato mixture to the pot. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for another 10 - 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Garnish with the fresh parsley or cilantro.

Serves 4.

More Indian chickpea recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Chana Masala
Black Chickpeas with Roasted Coconut and Fragrant Spices
Chickpea Paneer Kofta in a Creamy Cashew Tomato Sauce

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

Audio Accompaniment: Sleeps With the Fishes by Pieter Nooten and Michael Brook

Spicy Kidney Beans with Tomato and Yogurt Sauce

If you are craving relatively easy, yet spicy and unique ways to incorporate legumes into your diet, I highly recommend getting a copy of 600 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. Although his Indian cookbook is not vegetarian, this fat volume contains plenty of creative vegetarian recipes making it a worthwhile investment for carnivores and vegetarians alike. In addition to recipes for legumes, this favored volume also has plenty of tempting ideas for appetizers, paneer, vegetables, rice and even spice blends and pastes. Plenty of helpful tips regarding cooking techniques and ingredients are provided throughout and in addition, each section begins with an informative introduction and every recipe includes a short introduction describing the dish along with serving suggestions. I have shelves full of cookbooks, but Mr. Iyer's collection has a cherished place in my kitchen.

Craving kidney beans, I soaked some dried ones and the next day decided to make this variation of the ever popular rajma. I was originally going to use paneer in this recipe, but forgetting to pull a block from the freezer, figured goat cheese would also work well in this tart and hot dish. The resulting fusion-style rajma was a taste experience that was popular with my dinner companions.

This is my entry to October's My Legume Love Affair, a popular monthly event started by the lovely Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook and hosted this time by Cook Sister.

Spicy Kidney Beans with Tomato and Yogurt Sauce

Adapted from 660 Curries


1 1/4 cup of dried kidney beans
1 cup of yogurt (I used goat milk yogurt)
2 tablespoons of chickpea flour
1 small clove of garlic, finely minced or crushed
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
3 - 4 fresh chilies, finely chopped
1/3 cup of goat cheese, mashed with a fork
2 tablespoons of oil
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of garam masala
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

Soak the kidney beans overnight in enough water to cover. Drain, transfer to a medium large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer until the beans are tender - roughly 10 hour. Drain the cooked beans and set aside.

Whisk together the yogurt and chickpea flour until smooth. (The chickpea flour helps to prevent the yogurt from curdling.) Stir in the garlic, salt, turmeric, cayenne, chilies and mashed goat cheese. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium large pot over medium heat. When hot, toss in the ginger and asafoetida and stir and fry for a few minutes. Now add the tomato and garam masala and simmer until the tomato thickens - roughly 5 minutes.

Stir in the cooked kidney beans and yogurt mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Garish with the parsley and serve over hot rice, along with naan bread.

Yields roughly 4 - 6 servings.

Other kidney beans curries you will want to try:
Kidney Beans in a Slowly Simmered Tomato Sauce with Shredded Paneer
Mint and Potato Rajma
Curried Red Kidney Beans with Paneer Cheese
Nigerian Baked Beans

On the top of the reading stack: Castle to Castle by Louis-Ferdinand Celine

Audio accompaniment: La Bella Vista by Harold Budd

Three-Bean Salad with Fennel

Cool, crunchy and fresh … the mild savoury licorice flavour of raw fennel is always deliciously refreshing in warm weather. It's also part of a substantial and nourishing spring lunch in this attractive salad adapted from Yamuna Devi's Lord Krishna's Cuisine and provides a delightful contrast in colour, texture and taste with three different kinds of beans and a brisk lemon, herb and seed seasoning.

This is my contribution to My Legume Love Affair, one of my favorite monthly events celebrating the mighty bean. Susan is the mastermind behind this popular event and the host for the 13th edition is Harini of Tongue Ticklers.

Three-Bean Salad with Fennel

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on July 5, 2009 Cool, crunchy fresh fennel provides a delightful contrast in color, texture and taste with three different kinds of beans and a brisk lemon, herb and seed seasoning in this refreshing spring or summer salad Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried chickpeas 1/2 cup dried black-eyed peas 1/2 cup dried red kidney beans 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced 2 hot green or red chilies, seeded and minced 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped 3 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped 1/4 cup olive oil juice of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon ghee or a mixture of olive oil and butter 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced Instructions: Rinse the beans together* under cold running water and soak overnight under several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse the beans, then place in a medium saucepan and cover again with fresh cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are just tender but still firm. Drain and set aside to cool. Put the ginger, chilies, parsley, coriander, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste in a salad bowl. Heat the ghee or olive oil-butter mixture over medium heat in a small frying pan. Toss in the black mustard seeds, ajwain seeds and caraway seeds and fry until the black mustard seeds start sputtering. Remove from heat, and pour the seasonings straight into the salad bowl. Whisk together thoroughly, and gently stir in the beans and fennel. Refrigerate before serving. *Note: If you don't want the pink from the kidney beans to bleed into the other beans, soak and cook the kidney beans separately. Makes 6 – 8 servings

Kidney Beans in a Slowly Simmered Tomato Sauce with Shredded Paneer (Rajma)

This rich and gritty kidney bean curry is adapted from Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries, an extensive and creative collection of Indian creations that are straightforward to follow and easily changed to suit the preferences of the cook. This collection is not vegetarian, but even if you took out the meat and seafood recipes, you would still have a fat cookbook with lots of inviting vegetarian recipes.

The key to this dish is to follow Iyer's method for creating a thick and creamy sauce. Water is added gradually to a blend of spices and tomato paste and simmered down in stages. I did adjust the quantity of water a bit, added some hot chilies, some shredded paneer and made a few other minor adjustments besides. The complexity of this dish is in the taste experience alone, as the preparation is a simple pleasure.

Kidney Beans in a Slowly Simmered Tomato Sauce (Rajma)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from 660 Curries Cuisine: Indian Published on April 22, 2009 Red kidney beans simmered in a rich and creamy Indian-spiced sauce with shredded paneer cheese Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried red kidney beans 2 tablespoons ghee or a mixture of butter and oil 3 black cardamom pods 1 6-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half 3 bay leaves 1 small onion, chopped 2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated 2 large cloves garlic, minced 3 fresh green chilies, seeded and minced 5 1/2 oz(160 ml) can tomato paste 1 tablespoon paprika 2 teaspoons sea salt 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 1/2 - 2/3 cup paneer cheese, shredded 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped small handful dried curry leaves Instructions: Rinse the kidney beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, and add to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside. Heat the ghee or butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves and cook for 15 seconds. Add the onion and stir and fry for a few minutes. Now add the garlic, chilies and ginger and stir and fry for another minute or so. Add the ground spices and salt, stir, and add 1/2 cup of water, along with the tomato paste. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the water is evaporated. Stir in another 1/2 cup of water, cover, and simmer until the water evaporates again, stirring occasionally. Repeat one or more times until you have a nice, thick red sauce. Stir in the kidney beans, along with 3/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Add the cream, garam masala and shredded paneer, and cook for another few minutes. Stir in the curry leaves and the cilantro, reserving a bit for garnishing if desired. Remove the cardamom pods, bay leaves and cinnamon stick pieces before serving. Makes 4 servings

Other Indian rajma (red kidney bean) dishes you may enjoy:
Mint and Potato Rajma
Curried Red Kidney Beans with Paneer Cheese
Rajma with Sauted Chard