This amazing legume has so many recipes but I’m going to put down one recommended by another user @bakhendra_modi ,
1.5 cups kidney beans 300 grams, raw beans, soaked in 4 cups water
3.5 cups water 28 oz
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil 30 ml, use oil of choice
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup grated onion from 2 medium red onion, around 320 grams
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1 green chili chopped
4 medium tomatoes pureed, around 560 grams
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1.5 teaspoon red chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1.5 cups water 12 oz, divided
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Soak kidney beans overnight in 4 cups water. In the morning, drain the water in which the beans were soaked and then transfer them to a pressure cooker.
Add 3.5 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and pressure cook on high heat for 1 whistle, then lower the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. If using an Instant Pot, pressure cook for around 45 minutes at high pressure with natural pressure release. Beans should be completely soft when done. Set aside…
To a pan, add 2 tablespoons oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and let them sizzle.
Then add the grated onions and mix.
Cook the onions for around 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often until very light golden in color and there should be no raw smell. Compared to chopped onions, (if using chopped, cook for 3-4 minutes only) the grated ones needs to be cooked for a longer time to get rid of the raw smell. Don’t rush the step else curry will have raw onion taste.
Then add ginger-garlic paste and green chili and cook for 1 minute. Add the pureed tomatoes and mix. Cook for 5 minutes.
Then add the spices- coriander, turmeric, red chili, garam masala and salt.
Mix and cook on medium-low heat for around 10 mins until oil oozes out of masala. In total we cooked the tomatoes for around 15 minutes before adding the beans (important step, don’t rush it).
Add the boiled beans along with all the water in which they were boiled. I added additional 1 cup water here. Stir well and set heat to low-medium. Let the curry simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. In between use a potato masher to mash some of the beans. This makes the curry creamier and thickens it.
Then after it has simmered for 20 to 30 minutes, add cilantro.
I also added another 1/2 cup water here as it became quite thick while simmering. You can adjust consistency to preference.
I’m brazilian so I eat beans pretty much every day. Black beans are my favorite food in the world and I already decided I’d get feijoada for my last meal in the death row.
I need to get a pressure cooker. It takes around 2 hours for black beans to cook in a regular pot, so I always make enough for the whole week and freeze it in individual portions, then I thaw those portions in a pot. The good thing is that beans still taste good even if you freeze them.
My “recipe” (no measures because who even measures everyday food). If you are vegetarian then just use some olive oil instead of the bacon+sausage, it still tastes amazing.
Soak black beans in water for 12-24 hours
Dump the soaking water, wash the beans then add to the pot, cover with more water (in a regular pot I let the water level get about 5 inches above the beans, no idea with a pressure cooker)
Cook until the grains are soft (15-20 minutes with a pressure cooker, around 2 hours without one)
Add chopped bacon to a cold pan, turn heat to medium. When some fat has rendered, add smoked sausage slices and keep cooking
When bacon and sausage get a bit of color, make some space on the center of the pan and add ground cumin to toast for a few seconds
Add chopped onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they start to get a bit translucent
Add chopped red bell pepper (sometimes I add a little bit of chopped red chili aswell) and cook for a couple minutes
Add crushed/minced garlic and cook for ~30 seconds
Make some space on the pan, take a ladle full of the cooked beans, add them to the pan and crush them with the back of a wooden spoon to form a paste (this will help release starch from the beans to thicken the broth)
Add everything from the pan back to the pot, add salt and MSG (optional but it tastes so freaking good), simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes until the liquid thickens. If you are using bacon and sausage it’s a good idea to go easy on the salt and taste and adjust near the end.
If you have some fresh parsley and chives that you are going to throw out anyway, chop them, turn the heat off and add them to the pot.
These beans are a great meal by themselves, or you can serve them over rice. If you can find cassava flour then try making farofa.
A good friend is Brazilian and she made some black beans + rice dish I cant remember the name but it was amazing flavors, looked kinda basic but my goodness the taste!