Elawin
Guru
This is a typical Middle Eastern recipe and can be eaten hot or at room temperature with rice or flat breads. The addition of a little extra stock turns it into a delicious soup. You can also use it as a superb accompaniment to lamb.
Cooking time: For the stock, 60 minutes plus standing time; for the beans, 90 minutes
Serves: 4
For the stock:
Ingredients:
1 large onion, quartered
2 tomatoes, quartered, or 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
½ lemon
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
6 cardamom pods, crushed
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick, whole
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp baharat
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp vegetable oil, or a light olive oil
1.25 litres water
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat, and fry all the ingredients for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1.25 litres of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for about an hour.
- Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool to infuse all the flavours.
- Strain the stock, and discard all the ingredients.
For the beans:
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil, or a light olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed with a little salt
500 g tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
500 ml stock
2 x 400 g cans of white kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper, to taste
Handful of parsley, chopped, or 2 tbsp dried parsley
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-low heat, and fry the onion for about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and fry for a further 2-3 minutes or until the onion is soft.
- Add the tomatoes, purée, and stock, stirring well. Season to taste.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Stir occasionally.
- After 60 minutes, add the beans, and continue to simmer for a further 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened, adding a little more stock if required.
- Finally add the parsley, and serve with rice or flat breads.
Notes:
- If using dried cannellini beans, soak 450 g beans overnight, then rinse and drain. Add the beans to the pan with the tomatoes, purée and stock, and cook for a total of 90 minutes.
- When cooled, the sauce becomes very thick and may need the addition of a little extra stock, especially if reheating.
- The stock can be made the night before. It keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Freeze any left-over stock.
- If using as a soup, add extra stock as required.
- If using as an accompaniment to meat, you can add some chicken bones to the pan with all the other ingredients when making the stock.
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