Kidney Bean and Apricot Dopiaza Recipe

Nisha Katona says: 'Kidney beans are a well-used ingredient in India, their dense texture taking on some of the characteristics of meat in vegetarian dishes. Here, they do the heavy lifting to bulk out this dopiaza and, although it might sound like an unusual pairing, go amazingly well with the fruity dried apricots.'

Serves

2, or 4 as part of a sharing feast

Ingredients

4 tbsp vegetable oil
4 brown onions: 2 finely sliced; 2 finely chopped
1½ tsp salt
1 green chilli, pierced
5cm/2in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Small bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro, leaves and talks roughly chopped
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp tomato puree/paste
1 x 400g/14oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
30g/1oz dried apricots, finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
150-200ml/5-7fl oz/2/3-scant 1 cup just-boiled water
Naan breads and chutneys of choice, to serve

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wide non-stick frying pan/skillet over a medium heat. When hot, add the sliced onions with ½tsp of the salt and cook, stirring, for 10–15 minutes, or until very soft and caramelised.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan that has a lid over a medium heat. When hot, add the green chilli and sizzle for 1 minute, then add the chopped onions and cook for 7–8 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the ginger, garlic, green chilli, chopped coriander stalks (reserving the leaves for garnish) and the dried fenugreek leaves, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until everything is starting to soften.

3. Add the spices to the saucepan, stir well, then add the tomato puree. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, or until fragrant, then add the drained kidney beans, dried apricots, sugar and the remaining 1 tsp of salt. Stir to combine, then pour in 150ml/5fl oz/2/3 cup of the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until the kidney beans are cooked through. Check the water level, adding more if it gets too dry.

4. Finally, stir through the caramelised sliced onions. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves just before serving. Serve with naan breads and chutneys, as desired.

Extracted from Meat Free Mowgli: Simple & Delicious Plant-Based Indian Meals by Nisha Katona. Published by Watkins Publishing.

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