Black Bean Makhani

‘Makhani’ in Hindi means ‘butter’, and this recipe is an adaptation of the popular Indian dish Dal Makhani, which is rich and creamy. The creaminess of this dish helps to balance out the dryness and roughness of the black beans, which are astringent and potentially Vata-increasing. This is also achieved by using plenty of warming spices. I used black turtle beans for this recipe, which hail from Latin American cuisine, but you could also use red kidney beans. These beans come up very nice and creamy, with a smooth, rich flavour, if soaked and cooked for an adequate amount of time. Definitely a great dish to enjoy in spring as the weather warms up. Make sure to give yourself enough time in advance to prepare this recipe.

Ingredients

2 tbsp ghee
1 cup dried black turtle or red kidney beans
1 black cardamom pod
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 inch ginger, chopped finely
4 tomatoes, chopped finely
1/2 cup coconut milk or cream
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp Ayurda summer spice mix or garam masala
1 handful chopped coriander
2 tsp Himalayan salt

Method

1. Soak beans in water overnight.

2. Drain beans and place in a pot on the stove with 1 tsp of salt, 2 bay leaves and the cardamom pod, cover them and boil gently with just enough water to cover them for 2-3 hours. Check them regularly to make sure they have enough water and do not dry out.

3. Once the beans start to become tender, add the tomatoes and continue to simmer for another 30 mins.

4. Meanwhile, in a separate frying pan, heat the ghee and temper the cumin seeds until they become fragrant.

5. Add the garlic and saute until golden.

6. Soon after, add the ginger, followed by the remaining spices.

7. Once fragrant and mixed together, add the spice mixture to the beans and stir through.

8. Add the coconut cream and stir through until well-mixed.

9. Add the coriander and serve with rice and vegetables of choice.