What's YOUR Favorite Bean Recipe

My Mom's Bean Curry
In the corner of India near Myanmar (Burma) live the Naga people, who I grew up with. This is one of my favorite foods they make. You want to have fresh beans plus dried-type (canned is fine). I like a mixture of bean types, maybe 3 15-oz cans, each a different kind. Kidney beans and garbanzos and butter beans, perhaps. If you like tofu, it also goes really well with this--cube firm or extra-firm tofu and add it at the same time as the beans. Make it mild or spicy by excluding or including the cayenne pepper.

2 T veg oil
2 t garam masala or curry powder
1 t turmeric
-->heat the spices in the oil
2-3 yellow onions, chopped
-->fry in the oil 'til a little browned, stirring often
--> add:
1 lb fresh beans (green, yellow, whatever)
about 5 cups or 3 cans cooked shell-type beans (if canned, rinse well)
* include tofu in this amount if desired
1-2 tomatoes, chopped, or sauce
3-5 bay leaves
water to cover beans
3-4 chopped cloves garlic
2 t grated fresh ginger
cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

--> cook 'til the fresh beans are done, salt to taste
--> serve on plain rice--I recommend basmati
This bean curry is just as good 2 days later.

Greek Bean Salad

Oops I mean soup!

My favorite of all soups. Completely vegetarian although in some parts of greece they sautee pancetta and start the soup that way. The beans must be soaked over night.

-1 package navy or yankee beans
-1 large onion diced
-1 large green pepper diced
-1 red pepper diced
-1 carrot diced
-1 stalk celery diced
-1 29oz can crushed tomato
-1/2 cup olive oil
-chopped fresh parsley, dill, and fennel fronds-

1. After overnight soaking, drain and refill pot with fresh water.
2. Bring to a boil, simmer 5-10 minutes. Drain and refill pot with fresh water.
3. Bring beans to a boil again. Drain and reserve the boiled water. Set beans aside for later.
4. In the pot add the oil and sweat the onion, peppers, carrot, and celery.
5. Add the beans to the pot and sautee with the rest of the veggies. At this point you'll know if you have enough olive oil or too much. The beans should absorb most of it before adding the liquid, otherwise spoon up the excess from the bottom. Likewise if too dry and the beans are sticking add more.
6. Add the crushed tomato and let it incorporate. Season with salt.
7. Fill the pot 1 inch over the beans with the reserved liquid.
8. Let simmer on low 45min-1 hr. Turn the heat off and stir in the chopped herbs.

Serve with cracked pepper. This was a favorite in our house it thickens up and we ate it with big crusty chunks of bread and smoked herring on the side. You can also add some hot pepper to it as well for spiciness.