Curried Navy Beans With Coconut Rice [Vegan]

This came from a food magazine decades ago and is always a hit

Curried Navy Beans

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

¾ tsp red pepper flakes

2 cans navy or white beans; rinsed, drained, and divided

2 cups vegetable broth

2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced or grated

½ tsp turmeric

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp curry powder of choice

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp pepper

1 large tomato, chopped

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Fill a pot with enough water to cover potatoes and bring to a boil, add potatoes and pepper flakes and cook for 15 minutes or until tender, then drain and set aside. Place 1 cup beans, broth, ginger, and turmeric in a blender or food processor, then blend until smooth and set aside. In a pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil on medium-high heat, add onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Next, add curry powder and cook for 1 minute, then stir in potatoes, puréed bean mixture, remaining beans, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat down to low and simmer everything, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened. When finished, stir in tomatoes and cilantro.

Coconut Rice

¾ cup coconut milk, divided

1½ cups water

1 clove garlic, minced

½ tsp salt

1 cup uncooked rice

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Add coconut milk less 2 tbsp, water, garlic, and salt to a medium saucepan on medium-high. Bring to a boil, stir in rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 20 minutes when liquid is fully absorbed. When finished, stir in reserved 2 tbsp coconut milk and basil.

Notes

1. This recipe came from a food magazine decades ago. I can't find the name of the magazine, but the original author was Don Mauer of Cary, North Carolina, with my only alteration swapping vegetable broth for chicken.

2. This recipe not only tastes great fresh, but is just as good reheated. The rice can dry out a little in the fridge, so if I'm going to be pressed for time, I like to make the curry ahead and the rice the day of, but both can be made ahead in a pinch.

3. If you have a lot of milquetoast friends and/or family who don't handle spice well, this is a great way to introduce them to curry: the only heat comes from the curry powder you choose, so you can tailor it to any crowd.