Home Cook Together. Celebrate Life.

PakistaniAuthentic Cuisine

Pakistani Bean Stew

Serves 4 to 6 Entree vegetarian

Pakistani Bean Stew

Pakistani Bean Stew embodies the everyday warmth of home kitchens across Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Islamabad. It's a dish that finds its place on the table, not just for special occasions, but as a staple comfort food. Each family has its own slight variation, but the heart of the stew remains the same: a generous use of fat, a careful sprinkle of salt, and the communal spirit of sharing.

The stew greets you with a hearty embrace, its rich and savory essence coming from softened onions and a hint of tomato paste. As the beans meld into a creamy consistency, the dish offers a satisfying depth, punctuated by the subtle heat of black pepper. This is not just a side, but a centerpiece, inviting everyone to dig in and savor the robust flavors together.

Ingredients

  • 400 gdried beans — soaked
  • 1onion
  • 2 tbsptomato paste
  • 80 mloil
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Rinse 400 g of dried beans under cold water, removing any debris or damaged beans. Place them in a large bowl, cover with plenty of water, and let them soak overnight. This will help soften the beans and reduce cooking time.
  2. Finely chop 1 onion and set it aside. Drain the soaked beans and set them aside as well. Measure out 80 ml of oil and have 2 tbsp of tomato paste ready for use. Season the beans with fine sea salt and black pepper to taste, ensuring they are evenly coated.
  3. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the 80 ml of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. The onion should not brown, as this will affect the flavor of the stew.
  4. Add the 2 tbsp of tomato paste to the pot, stirring it into the onions. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and the mixture becomes fragrant. This step enhances the depth of flavor in the stew.
  5. Add the soaked and seasoned beans to the pot, stirring them to coat with the onion and tomato mixture. Pour in enough water to cover the beans by about an inch. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, reducing the heat to low.
  6. Cover the pot and let the stew cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the stew has thickened to your desired consistency. This may take about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the type of beans used. The beans should be soft and creamy, and the stew should have a rich, cohesive texture.
  7. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with more fine sea salt and black pepper if needed. The flavors should be well-balanced, with a slight tang from the tomato paste and a savory depth from the onions.
  8. Serve the Pakistani Bean Stew warm, ideally with naan or rice, and enjoy the hearty, comforting flavors typical of a Pakistani home-cooked meal.
Cover of Authentic Pakistani Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Pakistani Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Pakistani Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Pakistani volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

Explore Pakistani cuisine