15gTurkish sweet pepper paste (tatlı biber salçası), or more tomato paste
1tspsugar
1Tbsplemon juice, or to taste, eller etter smak
flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, to garnish
pul biber (Aleppo pepper), to garnish (optional)
water
salt and pepper
How I make it
Cover the beans with at least 3x the volume fresh water and a good amount of salt (I add a couple of teaspoons). Leave to soak for 8 hours or over night.
Add the meat, onion and bay leaf to a large pot. Add water to cover with 1–2 cm (⅖–⅘ in). Add salt – I add a little less than I would for a soup (the tomato and red pepper pastes will add more salt later) – and a generous helping of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil and let it bubble strongly for a couple of minutes. Skim. Lower the heat to low/medium and leave to simmer until the meat is very nearly perfectly tender, around an hour. Take out and discard the onion bits.
Discard the beans' soaking water and rinse them, then add the beans to the meat. Add more water if necessary – there should be enough liquids to easily cover. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Let it bubble strongly for a couple of minutes, then skim again, if necessary. Turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer until the beans are soft and creamy, usually 20-30 minutes, though it can sometimes take significantly longer. It all depends on the age and type of your beans.
Meanwhile, heat a thick bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Melt the butter in the bean, then add garlic, tomato paste, red papper paste and sugar. Fry for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Add a ladleful of the liquids from the pot with the beans and meat, then mix well. Repeat with a couple more ladlefuls, until the tomato sauce is fairly thin and can be easily mixed into the rest of the stew without having to stir strongly.
Add the tomato sauce to the bean stew. Mix carefully. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Leave to simmer over a low heat for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to settle. Take off the heat and leave for at least 10 minutes.
Serve the bean stew warm, topping with a little parsley and some chili flakes, if you like.
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