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Thai Bean Stew

Serves 4 to 6 Entree vegetarian

Thai Bean Stew

Thai Bean Stew is a comforting dish that speaks of home kitchens across Thailand. It finds its place on the table during casual family meals, where the emphasis is on warm, hearty flavors that bring everyone together. Passed down through generations, this stew embodies the simplicity and generosity of Thai home cooking, with each cook adjusting the salt by hand and not shying away from using a good amount of oil to deepen the flavors.

The stew is a rich tapestry of tender beans, sweet onions, and the tangy depth of tomato paste, coming together in a velvety harmony. The oil adds a luscious mouthfeel, while freshly cracked black pepper provides a gentle kick that lingers. This is a dish meant to be shared, inviting each person to savor the communal spirit of a genuine Thai meal.

Ingredients

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

Method

  1. Begin by soaking 400 g of dried beans in a large bowl of water overnight. This will help soften them and reduce cooking time. After soaking, drain the beans and set them aside.
  2. Peel and finely chop 1 onion. In a large pot, heat 80 ml of oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and soft, releasing a sweet aroma.
  3. Stir in 2 tbsp of tomato paste with the softened onions. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, allowing the tomato paste to caramelize slightly, which will deepen the flavor of the stew.
  4. Add the soaked and drained beans to the pot, stirring to coat them in the onion and tomato mixture. Pour in enough water to cover the beans by about 2 cm, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.
  5. Let the stew cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and creamy. This will take some time, so be patient and check the texture of the beans by tasting them. They should be soft but not mushy, with a slight bite.
  6. Once the beans have reached the desired texture, season the stew with fine sea salt and black pepper to taste. Stir well to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed.
  7. Serve the Thai Bean Stew hot, ideally with steamed rice or crusty bread, allowing everyone at the table to share and enjoy the comforting flavors.
Cover of Authentic Thai Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Thai Cuisine

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

Available soon on Amazon…

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