This curried African bean stew is similar to the traditional African bean stew and bursting with the aromatic flavours of the additional herbs and spices. Serve for lunch with kelewele (spicy fried plantains) as sides.
Place the dried beans in a pan and add one litre of water to the pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 30 - 35 minutes until the beans is soft. Drain and set aside.
Place the onions, ginger, garlic, coriander, curry powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, paprika, and lemon juice in a blender. Add 100 mls of water and blend to a smooth puree. Set aside.
To a hot dutch oven, add one tablespoon of peanut oil and then fry the curry puree. Fry the puree on medium heat for between 3 to 5 minutes or until the puree is "dry", stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Once the puree is sufficiently dry, add the tomato sauce and 200 mls of water. Add the vegetable stock cube, cover and bring the sauce to boil. Then reduce heat to low-medium and simmer with the lid partially covered for 30 minutes.
Add the cooked beans to the sauce. Use a fork to mash some of the cooked beans, then add the beans to the sauce. Continue to simmer with the lid partially covered for another 10 - 15 minutes.
Serve with some chopped coriander and chopped peanuts.
