JL Fields

Ingredients (Serves 4 – 6)

• 1 cup dry black (turtle) beans, soaked for 1 – 2 hours, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons vegetable broth (or vegetable oil)
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, diced into equal, bite-size pieces
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 small tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon iodized sea salt (optional)
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Soak black beans for just a few hours.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth (or oil) in an uncovered pressure cooker, on high heat.
3. Add the onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes.
4. Add carrots and sweet potato and saute for another 3 minutes.
5. Add celery, tomatoes, cinnamon, garam masala and stir to coat all of the vegetables with the spices.
6. Add the black beans (rinsed and drained), bay leaves and vegetable broth and cover the pressure cooker.
7. Bring to pressure.
8. Cook at pressure for 20 minutes
9. Remove from heat and allow pressure to release naturally.
10. Once pressure is released, remove the lid, away from you.
11. Add sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste.

The stew has an aroma reminiscent of maple syrup, which I attribute to the apples in the vegetable stock, the sweet potatoes and the powerful combination of cinnamon and garam masala.

Last night I spooned it over a vegan Italian sausage (think bun-less “chili dog”). The spiciness of the sausage and the sweetness of the stew made for another match made in heaven!

Are you a sweet potato-black bean combo fan?