Lamb Bean Stew

This curry is like an Indian chili…you can use almost any bean in this recipe. 

Makes 4 to 6 cups

ingredients

1 cup red, white or any other dried beans

4 tablespoons ghee 

1 teaspoon kalonji seeds (or cumin seeds)

2 cups minced onion

12 ounces lamb ground (or chicken, turkey, or beef)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons ginger purée

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped mint

Juice of one lemon

instructions

Soak the beans for 2 to 3 hours. Drain, add 3 cups fresh water and cook the beans at medium heat in a covered stockpot until tender. Add water 1/2 cup at a time if needed. Depending on the size of the beans, they will take 45 minutes to an hour an a half. Save the beans with the liquid.

In a separate stockpot, heat the ghee and pop the kalonji seeds. Add the minced onions and sauté until light golden in color. (Alternately add 1/4 cup of caramelized chopped onions to speed up this process) Add the ground lamb, black pepper, turmeric, and salt. Cook on high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, allowing the spices to coat the lamb.

Next add the chili powder, ginger purée, ground cardamom and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beans with water, cover the pot and cook on low-medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. When the lamb is cooked through, add the coconut milk and continue cooking. The curry should be thick and slightly creamy looking. If it appears dry, add more water or coconut milk. Stir in cilantro, mint, lemon juice, and serve.

notes & variations

• For a vegetarian option, replace lamb with minced wild mushrooms.

• Replace the coconut milk with pureed fresh or canned tomatoes for a lighter finish.

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