Kidney bean korma

Photo / Nassima Rothacker

Putting something super tasty on the table in no time is easy with John Gregory-Smith’s Fast Feasts: Quick, Easy Recipes with a Middle Eastern Twist.

John says: "This is a very simple recipe that's inspired by an Afghan kidney bean curry. You cook the beans slowly in a rich tomato sauce with plenty of garlic and spices. I like to finish mine off with a knob of butter. It really lifts the flavour and gives the sauce a silky finish. Delicious."

Ingredients

2 Tbsp	olive oil
1	onion, finely chopped
4	garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp	ground cumin
2 tsp	ground coriander
2 tsp	dried mint
1 tsp	freshly ground black pepper
2 x 400g tins	kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g tin	chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp	tomato paste
350ml	vegetable stock
20g	butter
Handful	coriander leaves
To serve	boiled rice

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until golden. Add the garlic, cumin, ground coriander, mint and black pepper. Mix well and cook for 10 seconds until fragrant.
2. Add the kidney beans, tomatoes, tomato purée and stock to the pan with the onion. Add a good pinch of salt and mix well. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes so the flavours can develop.
3. Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium so you have a gentle bubble and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes until the sauce is really rich and thick.
4. Add the butter and stir together to melt. Check the seasoning and add more salt to taste. Sprinkle with plenty of coriander and serve immediately with rice.

Edited extract from Fast Feasts: Quick, Easy Recipes with a Middle Eastern Twist by John Gregory-Smith, published by Welbeck. Photography by Nassima Rothacker.