Mixed Beans Curry

My 213th recipe, "Mixed Beans Curry", a healthy Indian side. For some reason, I cant overcome my love for rich and delicious North Indian curries. Meant nothing offensive. I am just so crazy about those curries that I try to make use of every opportunity available at hand to enjoy one. I especially love the richness in combination with the array of aromatic Indian spices added. Whenever eating outside, I never mind going with the extra deliciousness which the butter adds to a paneer butter masala. However, I try to make curries atleast a little healthier while making at home. So whenever I prepare curries at home, most of the times, I try to use any of the dry beans I have in stock. Just an easy way to rake up the needed proteins. While I am usually stocked up on dry beans, today was a day when I just had a little bit of the rajma left. It was apparent that I would not be able to make a curry with just the little rajma left. I then got this wonderful idea of making a mixed beans curry. Since it sounds like a simple idea, I never had thought of trying it earlier. But the thing is that, I never realised that a mixed beans curry would be so damn delicious. Each of the bean has it own texture, flavor and together in a curry they made a wonderful combo for the tastebuds. A perfect side to have with chapati or any other Indian flatbread 🙂

Mixed Beans Curry

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings 5

Ingredients

  

• Rajma Red kidney beans - ½ Cup
• Black eyed beans - ½ Cup
• Oil - 2 Tbsp
• Fennel Seeds - ½ tsp
• Bay leaves - 1
• Onion - 1 Medium Finely chopped
• Coriander leaves - 1 Tbsp Chopped + For garnishing
• Mint leaves - 1 Tbsp Chopped
• Turmeric - ¼ tsp
• Asafoetida - A large pinch
• Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
• Coriander powder - ½ tsp
• Jeera powder - ½ tsp
• Nutmeg powder - ¼ tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Salt - ½ tsp
• Kasturi methi - 1 tsp
• Fresh cream - 2 Tbsp Optional

To grind

• Oil - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon - ½ stick
• Cloves - 3
• Cardamom - 2
• Garlic - 5 Cloves
• Ginger - a small piece
• Green chilli - 1
• Onion - 1 Medium Cubed
• Tomato - 1 Large Cubed

Instructions

 

• First wash and soak both the beans separately / together in clean water for atleast a hour. Then pressure cook them separately / together along with sufficient water along with a pinch of asafoetida and salt for 3 whistle or until done. Open the lid once the pressure subsides and keep the beans aside until use. Do not discard the water (stock) used for cooking.
  
    
  
    
• Now, heat a pan with oil and add the other ingredients listed under "To Grind" except tomato. Saute until the onion turns translucent. Transfer it to a plate. Now add the tomatoes to the same pan and saute for about a minute and transfer to the plate. Let them come to room temperature. Now grind them together into smooth puree and keep aside until use.
  
    
  
    
  
    
• Now heat a large pan with oil, add the fennel seeds and bay leaf. Once the fennel turns golden add in the finely chopped onion, 1 tbsp of coriander leaves, mint leaves and saute until the onion turns translucent. Now add the ground puree to the pan and give a stir. Follow it by the powders (turmeric, asafoetida, nutmeg, red chilli, coriander, jeera, garam masala) and salt. Stir well to combine. Cook it in medium flame until raw smell of the masala is gone for about 5 minutes, stiring in between.
  
    
  
    
• Now drain the stock from the beans (water used to cook the beans). I got about 1 ½ cups of stock. Add this stock to the pan. Give a stir and let the gravy simmer for about 7 minutes, until the oil starts to separate over the top. Now add the both the cooked beans and kasturi methi (crushed), give a gentle mix and let it simmer for about 3 more minutes.
  
    
  
    
• Now, add the fresh cream, give a stir and turn off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.
  
    
• Serve hot as a side for chapati or any other Indian bread.
  
    

Notes | FAQ

- For my desired consistency, I added about 1 ½ cup stock/water. So adjust the stock/water quantity accordingly.
- Fresh cream is optional. But adding it would give a rich taste to the masala. If you are vegan, you can even add cashew paste instead of fresh cream.
- I have used red kidney beans and black eyed beans in this recipe. You can use any beans of your choice. Do adjust the soaking and cooking time according to the variety of beans you use.
- I cooked both the beans seperately, since red kidney beans will require a tad longer to cook than the black eyed beans and I wanted both of them to get cooked perfectly. If you are running short of time or using a different combination of beans, you can also cook the beans together.