One Pot Store Cupboard Five Bean Curry
With nights getting cooler and the rain getting heavier we are well and truly settling into autumn. Support your immune system this season with this deliciously mild, fruity and tangy Five Bean Curry which will appeal to the most delicate of palates. This dish offers a feast of goodness to your microbiome with a bounty of fruit, vegetables and gentle spices in one delicious one-pot dish. It takes less than half an hour to cook and uses mostly store cupboard ingredients. I love to serve mine with brown rice but it is delicious on its own or with a dollop of coconut yoghurt or if you are feeling advenutous with our home made cashew yoghurt.
Ingredients
- 1 medium chopped onion
- 2 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 400g tin mixed beans
- 6 organic dried apricots
- 3 large medjool dates
- 2 medium unripe bananas
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 medium freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 handful chopped fresh coriander
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Sweat the chopped onions for 5 minutes and then add the garlic and curry powder and mix for a couple of minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and stir in the ground cinnamon and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the beans, apricots, medjool dates and chopped bananas and cook for a further 10 minutes. If it starts getting a bit dry add some water to loosen the curry.
- Add the chopped coriander and the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve either on its own with a dollop of coconut yoghurt or for a more substantial meal serve with brown rice or some gluten-free naan bread.
THE SCIENCE BIT
As science develops around the subject of the gut microbiome it is becoming more clear that we need to feed our microbiome with as many varieties of fruit and vegetables and spices as possible. Variety is key. There is also strong evidence to suggest that a varied and robust microbiome is essential for a healthy immune system. Prebiotic foods are all the rage and the best news is they are plentiful in nature in fruit, vegetables and spices.
