spiced adzuki bean stew with vibrant green chard

Delicious splashes of autumn colours

here and there…

Grounding, warming, and hearty, this dish is perfect for those short on time. Replace the ground spices and chilli with a tablespoon of sambar powder.

Serve with avocado raita or Greek yoghurt, crunchy green cucumber salad, and a bowl of quinoa.

SPICED ADZUKI BEAN STEW WITH VIBRANT GREEN CHARD

serves 4

ingredients 

2 cups adzuki beans

8 cups water

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

¼ tsp hot chilli flakes (or half a fresh chilli)

1 Tbsp ghee/oil

1 tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp asafoetida powder

2 cup tomatoes, finely chopped

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

3 sticks celery, finely chopped

1 cup chard leaves, roughly chopped

½ cup coriander leaves, chopped

1 tsp fine rock salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tsp jaggery

pre-soak 

1. Soak aduki beans overnight or for 24 hours with one change of water for better digestibility.

preparation

1. Place the drained beans and 8 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce to maintain a rapid simmer—simmer until beans are soft, approximately 1 hour.
2. In a small pan, dry roast the cumin, coriander, and chilli flakes until they have a lovely aroma (be careful not to burn). Remove from heat and grind in a mortar and pestle.
3. Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the asafoetida, turmeric, and ground spices—and saute for a few seconds. Then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste—cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add the carrots and celery- simmer for 10 minutes.
5. When the beans are soft, drain and add them to the tomato mixture with 1 cup water. (I found that if the stew sits for half an hour, the beans soak up some of the liquid, and the consistency becomes thicker.)
6. Add chard and coriander, stir through for 2 – 5 minutes, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and add jaggery. Remove from heat and serve.

Goodness shared from Stacey