Red kidney beans cooked with turnips

 

Fareeda Kaul’s red kidney beans cooked with turnips.

This is a Kashmiri recipe adapted slightly from the book “A Taste Of India” by Madhur Jaffrey.

Ingredients

1 tin kidney beans, washed

500g turnips

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon chilli powder (or a few slices fresh or dried chilli)

4 tablespoons (60ml) sunflower oil

1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half, and sliced thinly

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Method

Peel the turnips and cut into big chunks (quarters or eighths depending on size of turnip). Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, and fry the turnip pieces, turning them until they are browned on every side. Take out the turnip pieces. Set them aside, and fry the onion until golden brown.

Meanwhile, put the ginger, turmeric, salt and chilli into a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water, and mix to a smooth paste.

When the onion is cooked turn the heat down, add the garlic, cook for a minute, then stir in the spice paste and turn off the heat.

Put the kidney beans into a saucepan, add the turnips, add enough boiling water to just about cover the beans and turnips, add the onion and spice mix, then simmer for about ten minutes, or until the turnips are soft.

Serve, accompanied by basmati rice and lime pickle.