Ingredients (serves 4-5)

For the beans

• 1 cup / 200 g / 7 oz. canario or cannellini beans or other beans of choice that are good for stews [see below how to cook beans with aromatics]
• A small onion (or half of a medium one), quartered
• A bay leaf
• One large or two small cloves of garlic, sliced
• A few sprigs of fresh parsley
• A couple of leaves of sage, optional

To complete the dish

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• A generous pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup / 70 g raw unsalted broken or split cashew nuts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced lengthwise (I used a Rossa di Milano onion)
• 2 carrots, grated using the extra-coarse side of your grater
• 2 small turnips, grated using the extra-coarse side of your grater
• 1 one-inch / 2.5 cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup strained roasted tomatoes
• Fine sea salt, to taste
• 1/3 cup /50 g cashews in larger pieces (see Note below)
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Instructions

Note: I purchased raw cashew pieces (rather than whole) and selected smaller pieces to grind for the sauce and larger pieces to toast for the topping.

How to cook dry beans

The way I cook beans for further use comes from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison (Beans with Aromatics). After soaking a cup of dry beans for several hours or overnight in enough water to cover them by about an inch (I use four cups), empty the whole bowl into a saucepan and add

Bring the water to a lively boil quickly, and keep it there for five minutes, then turn down the heat and let the beans simmer, covered, until they are tender, but possibly a few minutes from being completely cooked: they will finish cooking in the sauce. How long this takes depends on the type of beans and their freshness. Let them cool in their broth, then remove the aromatics and discard them. Let the beans rest in their cooking broth until ready to use.

How to prepare the sauce

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Dry roast the ground spices (cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, coriander and pepper) and pepper flakes for 1 minute. Let the spices cool down, then add them to the broken cashews and place in a food processor. Grind to a fine paste. Do not rinse the skillet.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and stir to coat. Turn the heat down to medium-low. After a couple of minutes, add the carrots, turnips and ginger and stir. After a couple of minutes, add the garlic and stir.

Cook the vegetables on gentle heat until tender, stirring often.

How to finish the dish

Drain the beans and measure 1/2 cup / 120 ml of the cooking liquid.

Turn up the heat to medium-low and add the cashew paste. Stir well, then add the beans and continue to stir for a minute.

Add the strained roasted tomatoes and reserved bean cooking liquid and stir well. Bring the sauce to a boil. Turn down the heat to low. Cover the skillet and simmer until the beans are well cooked and the sauce has thickened a bit.

In the meantime, dry roast cashew pieces in the small skillet previously used for the spices.

When the beans are ready, adjust salt, then add toasted cashews and parsley.

Give a final stir and serve immediately over cooked whole grains of choice.

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Go to the full post on curry di fagioli con pomodoro e anacardi / beans in cashew and tomato curry