The Hearty Bean Soup

Gingery Kidney Bean and Lentil Stew with Naan Croutons

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I rarely make a single dinner’s worth of beans or lentils: it’s just so handy to keep them around to serve with eggs in the morning, or toss with tuna and herbs for a quick lunch. And of course, beans can make for a killer one-bowl dinner. This dish is inspired by rajma, the kidney bean stew that’s popular in Nepal and northern India; I included some chickpeas for a little variation on the texture, and some garlicky croutons because croutons make even a plain bean supper seem irresistible (and hey, they’re a great use of leftover bread). Tomato-y and a little spicy, this stew might remind you of chili with a subcontinental aroma.

Extra ingredients: cooked chickpeas, cooked kidney beans

Time: 35 minutes (35 minutes active)

Makes 6 to 8 servings (2 very full quarts)

BEAN AND CHICKPEA STEW

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil

2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons minced ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small whole dried chile, such as chile de arbol or japones

1 cinnamon stick

1 large red onion, minced

1½ teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste

One 24-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes and their juices, squeezed to mash, any thick white cores removed

2 cups cooked kidney beans (homemade or canned), chickpeas, cannellini beans, or pinto beans

2 cups cooked chickpeas (homemade or canned), cannellini beans, or pinto beans

1½ cups bean cooking liquid (if available) or water

1 teaspoon garam masala, optional

Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Greek yogurt, optional, to garnish

NAAN CROUTONS

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tablespoon ghee, melted

1 large naan bread (or pita bread), cut into ¼ × 3-inch strips

Fine sea salt to taste

1. Roughly crush or grind the coriander and cumin seeds with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

2. In a 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the crushed spices and cook until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 1 minute. Add the serrano chiles, ginger, garlic, dried chile, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the onion for garnish; stir the rest and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is golden and a little browned at the edges, about 10 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and their juices and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook until most of the tomato liquid has been absorbed and the mixture in the pan glistens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and cooking liquid. Let the liquid come to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes, until the beans are flavorful and the stew has thickened.

3. Meanwhile, make the naan croutons. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, stir the garlic into the ghee or melted butter and toss the naan strips in the ghee. Season with salt. Spread the naan in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until almond brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. If using the garam masala, stir it into the stew, which should be thick but not stodgy: add more water if necessary to achieve a hearty chililike texture. Taste the stew and season with additional salt; if more heat is desired, add a little cayenne. Remove the whole pepper and serve the stew in bowls with the reserved onion, cilantro, the croutons, and yogurt, if desired, as a garnish.

VARIATIONS