Navy Beans Curry

Over the years, navy beans have become a staple pantry item in my kitchen. They are white colored pea sized beans with a mild flavor attached to them. They don't need even presoaking if you own a pressure cooker. Initially they used to go in soups at my home but recently I started to use them in Indian style coking as this one for example. Navy beans combined with complimenting Indian spices turn into this hearty bean curry that tastes wonderful. It goes well with rotis / tortillas.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup navy beans
1 - 2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
one inch piece ginger - grated
2 onions - finely chopped
2 tomatoes - finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chole masala (or garam masala as needed.)
1 Tbsp kasuri methi
Minced cilantro for garnish

Method:
* Cook navy beans until tender. A pressure cooker is ideal for this job but if you don't own one, don't worry. Just soak the beans for a couple of hours in hot water (or overnight soaking is even better) to cut down the cooking time considerably. Throw away the water used to soak and wash the beans thoroughly. Bring the water to a rolling boil in a sauce pan on stove top, add the beans and cook as needed.
* Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start to splutter, add ginger, onion and turmeric. Cook on low flame until onion turns translucent. Then add tomatoes and cook until mushy.
* At this stage if you wish to have gravy, remove half of the cooked onion - tomato mixture and grind it.
* Add this ground paste, salt, chili powder and chole masala to the cooked onion - tomato mixture. Add a little water if needed and bring the mixture to a boil. Add kasuri methi, cook for a couple of minutes more and turn off the stove. Garnish with cilantro.

This is going to be my entry for Susan's MLLA, 40th edition hosted by me this month.

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