Bean there, eat that

Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat … the further you can stretch a dollar during this season of post-holiday frugality.

Canned or dried, legumes are a filling, cost-effective way to add protein and fibre to a meal. And if your New Year’s resolutions include cutting down on meat consumption, beans are a central ingredient in plant-based cooking.

Today’s Homemade column highlights hearty vegetarian recipes submitted by Free Press readers, including tangy chana (chole) masala with cool cucumber raita from Charulata Gupta, black bean chili from Cathy Collins and slow-cooker chickpea veggie stew from Enid Barnes.

We’re currently looking for Lunar New Year recipes for an upcoming edition of Homemade.

Visit winnipegfreepress.com/homemade to fill out the submission form.

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Slow-Cooker Chickpea Veggie Stew

1 540-ml can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 796-ml can whole or diced tomatoes

1 small sweet or regular potato, peeled

1 medium onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

15 ml (1 tbsp) curry powder

15 ml (1 tbsp) minced garlic, or equal amount of garlic powder

5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric

5 ml (1 tsp) garam masala

5 ml (1 tsp) cumin

5 ml (1 tsp) crushed fennel (optional)

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

1 398-ml can coconut milk (optional)

Add everything to a slow cooker and cook until the potato and carrots are tender, approximately 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

Stir in coconut milk, if using, and continue cooking until heated through. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve with rice or your choice of grain. If using white rice, add a few cardamom pods to the pot while cooking for added flavour.

“A no-brainer dish that tastes like you spent hours cooking it. It’s wonderful on our cold days, and so easy, especially on a busy weekday, with such little prep.”

— Enid Barnes

Tangy Chana (Chole) Masala with Cool Cucumber Raita

1 796-ml/28-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

30 ml (1 tbsp) oil

5 ml (1 tsp) whole cumin seeds

10 ml (2 tsp) coriander powder

10 ml (2 tsp) cumin powder

5 ml (1 tsp) bhuna jeera (see directions below)

10 ml (2 tsp) paprika

10 ml (2 tsp) amchur *

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) chili powder

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt, or to taste

60-125 ml (1/4-1/2 cup) water

GARNISH

Fresh cilantro leaves

1 small onion, sliced into rings

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned (optional)

CUCUMBER RAITA

250 ml (1 cup) plain yogurt

125 ml (1/2 cup) grated cucumber

1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) bhuna jeera

Black or regular salt, to taste

Fresh cilantro or mint leaves, coarsely chopped for garnish

Note: Amchur is dried mango powder and can be found at most major supermarkets or South Asian grocery stores.

To make bhuna jeera, a flavourful roasted cumin powder, cook 10 ml (2 tsp) of whole cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium-low heat until crispy and dark brown. Let cool before grinding into a powder using a spice grinder, mortar and pestle or rolling pin.

Heat oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. To the pot, add whole cumin seeds and heat until the seeds begin to sputter. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, bhuna jeera, paprika, amchur, chili powder and salt; cook, stirring constantly until spices are aromatic, about 5-10 seconds.

Add the chickpeas and stir until coated. Add 60-125 ml (1/4-1/2 cup) water, or more to make it saucier, and cook for several minutes until heated through.

To make raita, stir together yogurt and cucumber in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste. Garnish with bhuna jeera and chopped cilantro or mint.

Garnish chana (chole) masala with cilantro, onion rings and ginger, if using. Serve with raita and store-bought naan.

“I am an Indo-Canadian and belong to the Punjab region. Even though I grew up in the western region of India, I grew up eating Punjabi food. I learned cooking from my mother and when I immigrated to Winnipeg, cooking Punjabi food at home made me feel ‘at home.’ When I had my daughter, I wanted her to relish the food that I grew up eating. This dish is simple: chickpeas cooked to perfection with various spices, onions and herbs.”

— Charulata Gupta

Black Bean Chili

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

22.5 ml (11/2 tbsp) cumin seeds

750 ml (3 cups) onion, diced

1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced

3 large garlic cloves, minced

7.5-15 ml (11/2-3 tsp) chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced*

7.5 ml (11/2 tsp) chili powder

3 398-ml cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 796-ml can diced or puréed tomatoes

500 ml (2 cups) vegetable broth

1 cup spinach (optional)

Salt to taste

Note: The quantity of chilies will depend on your spice preference.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and heat until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add onion and bell pepper, sauté until the onion is soft and almost golden.

Add garlic and chilies, sauté for 2 minutes.

Add chili powder, black beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

Transfer 375 ml (11/2 cups) of the chili and the spinach, if using, to a blender. Process to a coarse paste and return to the pot.

Continue simmering to desired thickness. Season with salt to taste.

Serve with your choice of toppings, such as plant-based sour cream, avocado, cilantro, lime wedges and tortilla chips.

“In my efforts to avoid contributing to what I saw as unacceptable treatment of animals, I experimented over the years with plant-based recipes. After some trial and error, I now have many delicious ones, including this tried and true black bean chili recipe.”

— Cathy Collins