Great Northern Beans Curry | White Beans in a Tomato Gravy

Simple gravies that go well with flat breads and rice are a staple of the Indian kitchen. I love cooking with beans and use a great variation of gravies to curry them Sometimes its just being creative with whatever is on hand. Sometimes its a pre-planned project complete with roasting spices, grinding, frying, and then boiling the beans in the said curry.

Last week I got a bag of Great Northern Beans (White Beans). I soaked them planning to make a baked dish, but short of time I just dunked them in a pan and boiled them and refrigerated them. Last night I made this simple and delicately flavoured gravy with them. The result: simply yummy!!

Ingredients:
1 cup Great Northern Beans, soaked overnight
1 large onion, chopped fine
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp green chili paste
2 cups tomatoes, chopped coarsely
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
6 black peppercorns
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala

Method:

1. Drain the soaked beans and place the beans in a saucepan. Cover completely with water and then add another two cups of water.
2. Bring to a boil, then cook on a medium high heat until they are just done. Don't overcook, they will turn completely mushy.
3. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute for about a minute and a half.
4. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, and red chili powder. Stir, then add the green chili paste and two cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes on a medium heat.
5. Next add the cooked beans with the water they were cooked in. Stir.
6. Place the fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and the black peppercorns in a grinder and grind to a fine powder. Add this to the curry. Cook for about 15 minutes, adding water if needed.
7. Pour in the coconut milk and the garam masala. Stir and continue cooking on a  low heat for another 6 minutes. Turn off the heat.
8. Enjoy warm with rice.

Good to Know:

• Any dry white beans will work well for this recipe.
• If you prefer, the beans can be pressure cooked. However as they are very delicate I prefer to cook them in an open saucepan.
• To get a more tangy, try a variation without the coconut milk. Its just as tasty and goes very well with pooris and aloo tikkis.

Vegan Recipe

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