A very nutritious, tasty dish that goes beautifully with boiled rice or parathas. Kidney beans are some of the healthiest most nutritious beans to have in one's diet. They are full of proteins. I have several ways that I normally prepare them. This is a simple recipe with boneless chicken added lastly to the beans for extra nutrients and flavour.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of kidney beans, washed then soaked overnight
3 big fresh tomatoes
3-4 leaves methi/fenugreek
4 tbsp. oil
1 big onion chopped very fine or grated
1 tbsp. tomato paste
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
½ tsp. garlic paste
½ tsp. ginger paste
2 tbsp. coriander leaves n stems chopped
1-2 green chilies (can be increased or omitted according to taste) salt
1 chicken breast, cubed and boiled with salt, garlic and ginger until tender
INSTRUCTIONS
Drain the kidney beans, they will have expanded to about 2-3 times the original volume.
Blend the tomatoes with their skin, along with the coriander leaves and the green chilies to a smooth paste. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, add the fenugreek leaves, followed by the garlic and ginger paste. Stir for a minute, then add the onions. Fry until they are translucent. Add the tomato paste and the spices (cumin, turmeric, coriander powders) and let these fry for a few minutes on low heat. Then add the blended tomatoes and let this cook/simmer until the gravy thickens and the raw tomato smell diminishes. Then add the kidney beans plus some salt and stir together for a few minutes. Finally add about 3-4 cups water and let it come to a boil. Cover the pressure cooker, and cook on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes. Once the pressure/steam is released, open the pressure cooker and check the beans. If they are done, then sprinkle with a bit of coriander leaves and serve. If not yet, then cover and cook for another 2-3 minutes. This depends on the type of kidney beans you have, some take longer than others. If you prefer more gravy with your beans, you can add some water after the kidney beans are done and let it simmer for a few minutes. Mash some of the kidney beans to thicken the gravy to a lovely consistency. Simmer for a few minutes, then add in the boiled chicken cubes. Cook together for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. You can season with a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Serve with parathas, bread, naan or rice. :)
