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IngredientsMethod

White beans in a red tomato and pepper sauce in a ceramic bowl, with separate rice and pickles behind

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White Bean Stew

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Kuru Fasulye

Tender white beans simmered with onion, tomato paste and olive oil in a rich, gently spiced sauce.

Method

  1. Cover the beans generously with cool water in a large container. Refrigerate for 8–12 hours, allowing room for expansion. Drain and rinse.

  2. Put the drained beans in a saucepan and cover generously with fresh water. Bring to a full boil and keep boiling for at least 30 minutes, topping up with boiling water as needed to keep them covered. Then continue cooking until nearly tender; drain. Do not use a slow cooker for this initial cooking.

    A bean breaks easily when pressed and has no hard, dry center. Allow more time for older beans.

  3. Warm the oil in a heavy pot. Cook the onion over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste, pepper paste if using, and pul biber; cook for 1–2 minutes without burning.

  4. Add the drained beans and the measured hot water. Bring to a simmer, partly cover and cook gently for 40–55 minutes, until the beans are creamy inside and the sauce is lightly thickened. Add a little more hot water if needed. Season with salt and black pepper toward the end.

    The beans are fully tender throughout; the sauce coats them but is still spoonable.

  5. Remove from the heat and rest, covered, for 15 minutes before serving. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate.

Cooking guidance

This meatless version starts with dried white haricot beans. Cook them in fresh water before adding them to the tomato base. Choose olive oil and plant-only pepper paste for this version.