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BLACK TURTLE BEANS AND VERTES LENTILS

This is a perfect meal for when it's cold and rainy outside, or when you're busy with other stuff. Cooking time approx 90 minutes.

Ingredients

  • Vegetarian
  • 250g black turtle beans
  • 250g lentilles vertes
  • salt, pepper, and spices to taste. I use: half teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon curry powder, quarter teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon paprika, half teaspoon chilli powder or flakes
  • half can chopped tomatoes, or fresh if you like
  • approx 50ml olive oil
  • 1 or 2 oz butter
  • up to a whole fresh garlic, sliced or chopped
  • heaped teaspoon black cumin seeds
  • bunch of fresh coriander

Method

  1. The instructions on the packet for the black turtle beans state that they should be soaked for a minimum of 8 hours. However, I have cooked them without soaking and it's been fine. If you soak them overnight, the cooking time will be reduced by about half.
  2. Wash the beans and put them into a big pot with a lid. Pour in water (boiled or cold) to cover the beans, plus an extra two inches. Add the salt and spices. If you like garlic, add a few whole cloves now. Cover the pot and leave to cook.
  3. Every 15 mins or so, check that the water level hasn't gone down too much and give the beans a little stir. Boil a kettle of water and add some to the cooking beans when needed. I usually have the heat turned up quite high for the first 45 minutes, then gentler, until finally just a simmer for the last 15 minutes but you should do what you are comfortable with. Just a gentle constant heat (for a longer time) is safe and simple. Check that the beans are soft and cooked all the way.
  4. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, I chop up a lot of garlic, usually a whole one (but just a few cloves are enough). Put this into a frying pan with the olive oil, butter and cumin seeds. Heat gently until the garlic is golden brown. Carefully add all of this into the cooked beans. Now add all of the chopped coriander. Serve this with garlic bread, fresh naan or basmati and wild rice. Yummy.

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