Red Kidney Beans Curry

• 2 C dried red kidney beans

• 7-9 C of water

• 4-5 medium sized tomatoes, peeled

• 1½ -inch ginger piece

• 2 hot green chilies

• 3 Tbsp ghee/oil

• ½ Tsp yellow asafetida powder

• 2 Tsp cumin seeds

• 2 Tsp garam masala

• 2 Tsp chana masala

• 1 Tbsp coriander powder

• 1 Tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)

• 1 Tsp turmeric powder

• 2¼ Tsp salt

• ¼ C chopped fresh coriander leaves

1. Wash the beans and soak them in water for 6 hours. Drain. In a saucepan, combine the beans and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook covered until the beans are soft but not broken. (Alternately if you are pressure cooking the beans then use 7 cups of water)

2. Pour the cooked beans through a colander and reserve the cooking liquid by placing a bowl underneath the colander.

3. In a small bowl, take 1/3 cup of the cooked beans and mash them. Keep aside.

4. Process the tomatoes, ginger and chilies in a blender until smooth.

5.In a saucepan, heat ghee/oil over moderate high heat. Add asafetida and cumin seeds, when they darken a bit,pour the blended tomatoes. Add all the spice powders and salt. Reduce the heat to low and cook until ghee/oil oozes out from the tomato-spice paste. Add the beans, mashed beans and half of the coriander leaves. Pour the reserved cooking liquid according to the consistency required for the curry. Cook partially covered over low heat for atleast 1 hour so that the beans get cooked nicely in the tomato sauce.

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

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