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Aduki Bean Curry

This vegan curry recipe from Madhur Jaffrey features nutritious aduki beans. Inspired by Borough Market, it makes a light midweek meal served with rice.

From the book

Introduction

This is a very fine curry that I first ate at the Gujarati Rasoi stall in Borough Market, London. It was served with a rice dish made with cumin seeds. You will have to start the night before, to soak the beans.

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Ingredients

200g aduki beans
2 tbsp brown sugar
5 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
3cm cassia bark or cinnamon stick
1 dried chilli
1 garlic clove, roughly sliced, plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 tsp peeled, finely grated root ginger
2 hot green chillies, finely sliced
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
60 g finely chopped onion
125 g tomato passata
15 g coriander leaves, chopped
6 tbsp fresh coconut, or frozen grated coconut, defrosted
3 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Rinse the beans well and soak them overnight in 1.5 litres (2¾ pints) of water in a pan about 20 centimetres (8 inches) in diameter.

Next day, set the pan over a high heat, add the sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and cook for an hour and a half, or until the beans are very soft and broken up. Pour into a large bowl and set aside.

Clean the pan and place it over a medium heat. Pour in the oil. Check it is hot by dropping in a few of the mustard seeds; they should sizzle and pop immediately. Working quickly, add the cassia bark, followed almost immediately by the dried chilli. Allow this to darken all over for 20 seconds, then add the remaining mustard seeds and let them pop for a few seconds. Add the sliced garlic, swirl the pan and then add, all at the same time, the ginger, green chillies, ground coriander and cumin, turmeric, salt and garam masala. This process should take about one minute.

Stir for a further minute, then add the onion and the finely chopped garlic. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir and fry for two minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add the passata and cook, stirring, for three minutes.

Return the beans and their cooking liquid, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for a further 10–15 minutes. Add water if it’s too thick, to achieve a consistency you like.Add the chopped coriander, coconut and lemon juice. Give the dish one final stir, then serve.

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From the book: Madhur Jaffrey’s Curry Nation

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