I was looking for something vegetarian to make for dinner, something easy, with beans. I hadn't eaten Indian food in a while, so a recipe for rajma masala struck me. Only that dish is made with kidney beans. Kidney beans aren't my friend, so I decided to use my favorite bean instead - black beans.
The dish is pretty simple, despite the number of spices. It came together in a flash and was very tasty. As a plus, the spices made the house smell great for the rest of the evening.
Rajma Masala
1 cup chopped onion
oil
pinch salt
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
pinch cinnamon
pinch cloves
1 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can of chopped tomatoes and their juices
1/2 teaspoon amchor powder (dried green mango) or 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt to taste
chopped green onion or cilantro
In a medium saucepan, saute the onion over medium heat in a bit of oil and a pinch of salt until softened and just beginning to brown. Stir in the garlic and jalapeno, then add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir constantly for about a minute until the spices are well-incorporated with the onions, then add the beans and tomatoes.
Cook for 15-20 minutes over low heat until the beans have softened, stirring occasionally. Add the amchor powder or lemon juice and salt to taste.
Serve with basmati rice.
Posted on Minxeats.com.