Black bean curry

You've got to try this black bean curry! It's an incredibly tasty experience with a fabulous texture and a rich, delicious gravy.

You can make this curry in a single pot in under an hour.

First, you'll fry onion, garlic and spices slowly to release their flavour and produce a great base for your curry. Next, you'll add black beans, tomatoes and stock and simmer everything down to a thick sauce.

The final step is to mash the beans lightly and stir in fresh spinach before serving. Delicious!

This recipe produces for generous, low-calorie, protein-rich portions the whole family will love.

Here's how to make black bean curry.

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid - you’ll need the lid later - over a medium heat.

Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

Fry for 30 seconds or so until the seeds are starting to pop.

Add the onion, garlic, dried chillies and curry leaves.

Cook the onions slowly, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes or until they darken in colour.

Add the turmeric and tomatoes.

Stir over the heat.

Add the black beans.

Add the tomato puree.

Add 350ml of water, just enough to reach the top of the beans.

Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and leave to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop the bottom from catching. The liquid should reduce to a thick gravy.

Mash the beans with a potato masher but leave some intact. If your curry seems very thick, add another 50ml or so of hot water.

Add the shredded spinach.

Stir through, then add the fresh chopped chilli and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste (if your beans were preserved in brine, you won’t need much salt).

Sprinkle with fresh coriander.

Serve with your favourite rice.

It's a great colour, don't you think? And it tastes even better than it looks!

Will you give this delicious black bean curry recipe a go?

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect black bean curry

Is black bean curry easy to make?

This black bean curry is super easy to make.

With just one pot, you can create this warming and tasty curry in about 30 minutes and there's a good chance you'll already have most of the ingredients in your cupboard.

Just remember not to rush at the start when frying the onions and spices together as this is where the lovely flavours will really develop.

Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?

No, you don't need any special equipment to make black bean curry, just a chopping board and knife, a large pan with a lid, and a potato masher. If you don't have a potato masher, you can mash your beans with a fork.

Where can I buy black beans?

Black beans (also known as turtle beans or Spanish Black Beans) are stocked by all major supermarkets and can usually be found either in the canned food aisle with the other beans, or in the world food aisle.

Note: different brands of canned black beans, despite being made from the same bean, can be darker or lighter in hue than others. This can depend on a variety of factors, including when they are harvested and how they are processed. In any case, whether pitch black or more reddish in hue, they should taste delicious in this curry.

How can I tell if my black beans have gone off?

Properly tinned food is very stable. Canning has been used as a method of preserving food since the nineteenth century, though I wouldn't recommend using a tin that old!

As a first step, check the 'use by' date hasn't passed and give the cans a quick once over before you open them. Make sure the tin isn't dented or bulging.

If the top or bottom move or make a popping sound, the seal has probably been broken. This could mean that bacteria has been allowed to grow inside, so it is best to discard the whole tin.

If the beans are in date and the tin looks unscathed, you can go ahead and open it. Discard if the beans look and smell unusual, otherwise, you should be good to go.

Is black bean curry suitable for vegetarians or vegans?

Yes, this black bean curry is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans as it contains no meat or animal products of any kind.

It is always best to doublecheck the packaging on each ingredient you use, as well as anything you're serving your curry with.

Is black bean curry gluten-free?

Yes, this black bean curry recipe is gluten-free as long as you make sure to use gluten-free stock.

Be sure to check the labels on all the ingredients you use to make sure they are suitable for a gluten-free diet. Sometimes the most surprising ingredients carry a "may contain gluten" warning if they are produced in a factory that handles gluten products.

Don't forget to also consider the gluten content of anything you serve your curry with. For example, some microwave rice varieties are not gluten-free, while poppadoms and naan breads are typically made with wheat flour.

Is black bean curry keto-friendly?

I'm afraid not! Black beans are the main ingredient in this recipe and they are high in carbohydrate, so it would be a very difficult dish to make keto-friendly.

Is black bean curry healthy?

This curry is high in protein, fibre and minerals and low in calories and fat, so it's a pretty good option as part of a healthy, balanced vegetarian or vegan diet.

The NHS has a great page on a healthy, balanced diet should look like if you're looking for some easy, accessible advice on improving your diet.

Is black bean curry safe to eat while pregnant?

There is nothing in this recipe that should present a risk to pregnant people if the ingredients are in good condition and have been stored correctly, and the recipe is cooked hygienically and safely.

The NHS has a great resource that will help review the latest advice regarding foods that are safe to eat while pregnant in the UK.

However, this website does not offer medical advice and you should always check with your health professional.

What goes well with black bean curry?

I like to serve this black bean curry with almost any rice, but generally use white, basmati, jasmine or brown rice depending on my mood.

Can I make this recipe without black beans?

Black beans really are the main ingredient in this recipe, so I'd recommend doing your best to get hold of some.

However, if you're desperate to try this curry and only have a combination of other tinned beans to hand, I'd say go for it. This will obviously change the taste and colour of the curry, but it should still be very tasty.

I haven't tried any other beans with this dish, but if you do some experimenting please let me know how you get on! I would aim to use something like kidney beans, butter beans or cannellini beans rather than chickpeas as you'll want them to be mashable.

Can I add extra vegetables to my black bean curry?

You can absolutely add extra vegetables to this black bean curry but you'll need to do so after the stage where you mash the beans.

I would suggest lightly steaming any veg separately so it still has some bite and then add it to the curry at the same time you fold in the spinach.

You could try chopped carrot, broccoli florets, shredded kale or a handful of green beans but pretty much any veggies should work and add extra nutrition to your curry.

How should I store black bean curry? How long does it keep?

Cool your leftover curry to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container within two hours of cooking and place in the fridge.

If stored correctly, this black bean curry will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze black bean curry?

Yes, black bean curry freezes well and will last for up to two months in the freezer.

Cool your black bean curry to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer within two hours of making. Ideally, aim to leave as little empty space/air in your container as possible as this will reduce the risk of freezer burn

Use a pen to write the date on your containers each time you freeze food so that you can keep track of what needs to be used up. The best pen for this is a china pencil as it easily washes off so that your containers can be used time and time again.

Can I leave black bean curry out on the counter?

No, it's best not to leave curry out on the counter as it can become unsafe to eat in a very short amount of time.

Your curry should be covered and only be left out for the minimum amount of time it takes to cool it down to room temperature before being put in the fridge or freezer.

Can I make black bean curry ahead?

Yes, this recipe is fine to make ahead. In fact, the flavours develop really nicely in the refrigerator.

If you're concerned about this dish becoming too mushy if cooked twice, I'd recommend simmering the beans for just 10 minutes instead of 15 so that they can finish cooking when you reheat the dish.

What is the best way to reheat black bean curry?

This black bean curry can be reheated in the microwave from the fridge or from frozen.

If your container is microwave safe, crack a corner of the lid open so that steam can escape. If it isn't, transfer your curry to a microwave safe bowl and cover loosely.

Cook on full power for 1 minute. Give it a check and a stir and repeat until piping hot all the way through. Don't stir too much at first if it's frozen as you'll break the vegetables up.

You can also reheat the dish on the hob but you need to work gently so as not to totally break down the beans. Put the curry in a saucepan with a tablespoon or two of water and place over a low heat, stirring occasionally until fully heated through.

If you also plan to reheat rice, it's vitally important than you've stored your rice correctly in the first place, as incorrectly stored rice is a common source of food poisoning that is not removed by heating tainted rice.

Make sure that you've:

• Cooled the rice down and got it in the fridge within an hour of making it.
• Stored the rice in the fridge for no more than a day.
• Made sure it's piping hot once reheated.
• Has only been reheated once before being eaten.

This is only guidance, not medical advice. This NHS article on rice poisoning offers more information.

Can I make black bean curry in a different quantity?

It’s very easy to adjust this recipe to make more or less black bean curry. Sometimes I like to make double to put a batch in the freezer.

Simply scroll down to the recipe card towards the bottom of this post and hover your mouse (or tap your finger) over the portion number.

You will then be shown a slider, which you can move up and down to change the number of portions the recipe will make. As you do so, all of the ingredient quantities will automatically change accordingly.

If you have any questions about changing the quantities, just ask!

Can I make black bean curry in the slow cooker?

As this is such a quick stovetop recipe, I wouldn't recommend using a slow cooker.

The first stage of frying the onions and spices is super important to the flavour, plus the beans could easily go past the point of mashed and into mush.

However, if you are experienced with cooking in a slow cooker and feel like you can make it work then I'd love to know how you get on.

How can I make sure my black bean curry is perfectly cooked?

I like to read the whole recipe end to end before I get started so that there are no surprises. Next, I gather all my ingredients so that I know everything is on hand ready to go and in the correct quantities.

When you're frying the spices and onion, make sure the pan isn't too hot so they gently soften, colour and darken rather than go crisp and burn. If you see them starting to brown too quickly, you can pour the oil and spices into another cool pan, away from the heat as they will still continue to cook.

If you are using tinned beans, make sure you drain and rinse them before using. Since they're already cooked and you'll be mashing them towards the end of the recipe, the cooking time is quite forgiving, but do make sure they simmer for about 15 minutes to get them up to temperature and to make sure they've become lovely and soft.

Finally, don't leave your curry unattended. Be sure to give it an occasional stir so that it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.

Why did my black bean curry taste bland?

I think this dish is perfectly balanced when it comes to spices - plenty of flavour without being overpowering - but it's also very easy to customise.

If your beans were canned in brine, they'll bring quite a lot of salt to the dish, whereas beans canned in water will need more seasoning.

Either way, taste your dish and then add seasoning to taste. This will really help to enhance the other flavours in your curry. Remember, though, you can always add but never take away, so only add your salt in very small pinches between each taste so that you don't go too far.

If you'd like a hotter curry, you can add more dried or fresh chillies for a spicy kick.

Feel free to alter the quantities of something or add in any other spice you think would work well. It's really up to you!

Let me know in the comments if you have a favourite combination of flavours you like to use in this type of curry.

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