This is a very simple dish & is bursting with flavour. You can have it as a main dish served with bread or omit the chicken / meat & have it as a side dish.

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 500 g dried haricot beans
• 2 1/2 liters water
• 6 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 (400 g) can plum tomatoes, pureed or 400 ml passata
• 6  cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
• 6-8 pieces of chicken, lamb or beef
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• olive oil & vinegar to serve

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. The night before you want to make the beans, place the dried beans in a large bowl & cover with cold water. Allow to soak overnight, then rinse & drain before use.
2. After 30 minutes, remove the lid & simmer uncovered for a further 30 minutes. Do not let the sauce become too thick as when you add the olive oil & vinegar for serving, it thicken the sacue up automatically.
3. Pour 2 litres of water over the beans, add the salt & pepper. Cover & cook on a medium heat – so the loubia is on a fast simmer – for 1 hour.
4. After 1 hour, add 500ml extra water & the pureed / liquidised tin of plum tomatoes / passata. Add the garlic, 2 tsp salt, 2 1/2 tsp paprika & 1 1/2 tsp cumin. Cover & cook for 30 minutes on medium heat as before.
5. Check seasoning, you may need additional salt, then serve piping hot with plenty of fresh crusty bread.
6. Either add 1 tablespoon of olive oil & 1-2 tsp vinegar to each bowl before serving or let people add it themselves at the table.

 

TIPS:

1. You can make this easily in a pressure cooker; just reduce the water to a total of 2 litres, add a chicken stock cube & take care with the seasoning. It should only take 45-50 mins in the pressure cooker.
2. These beans taste even better the next day, so try to leave some leftovers!
3. For tasty spicy beans, use the hot paprika or add a chilli to the cooking pot.
4. Make this a delicious vegetarian dish by omitting the meat & using a good vegetable stock in place of the water.

Tags: Beans, Cumin, Garlic, Haricot, Paprika, Spicy, Tomatoes