White beans and Fenugreek Curry / Beans and methi subzi

There was a guy who worked with me few years back. I don't know what he ate for breakfast or dinner every day. But lunch used to be the same thing. Peanut butter sandwich made with whole wheat bread and a granny smith apple. He never even changed the kind of apple except when brown pears were in season. Then, we would see him bring that instead. I always wondered how one could eat the same thing over and over all the time.

Since beans/lentils are an important part of our vegetarian diet, I come up with different ways to make it so that it is not boring. Here is one such variety which is great for people who do not like garlic.

One year back - Tofu Butter Masala, Whitebread with Tangzhong Starter
Two years back - Black Eyed beans curry in peanut sauce
Ingredients:
White beans - 1 pound or 2 cups dry (Great northern beans is what I used)
Fenugreek leaves / Methi - 1 bunch cleaned and leaves and tender stem chopped
Potato - 1 large or 2 small peeled
Oil - 3 TBSP
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/methi seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Asafoetida/Hing - a generous pinch
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1 TBSP or to taste
Turmeric - a generous pinch
Red Chilli powder - 1 - 2 tsp as per taste and the kind you are using
Tamarind - a big lemon size soaked in water (Or use about 1 tsp of tamarind paste)
Jaggery - 1 TBSP (optional)
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste

Method:
Soak the beans in enough water over night. Drain the water and add fresh water covering the beans and is 1" in height above the beans level. Peel the potato and place it in the same pot as the beans. Pressure cook for 3 whistles. When the pressure is released, take it out and mash the potato in the pan itself. It will crush some of the beans too, and that makes it creamy. Soak tamarind in some water and extract thick juice. Skip it if you are using the ready paste.
In a pan, heat oil. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves, asafoetida/hing, methi seeds, black pepper powder, cumin powder, coriander powder. Stir and add chopped fenugreek immediately. Mix well. Add turmeric, some salt and let the greens wilt a bit. Now, add the chilli powder, beans and potato mixture. Stir well and add the tamarind extract plus more water to get the required consistency. When it comes to a boil, adjust the seasonings, grated coconut and simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the heat. serve with rotis, naan, or even rice.

Notes:
You can make this with any other beans and greens. Spinach makes a good alternative to fenugreek leaves.

Pin It