These black bean curry bowls are simple to make and they taste very good indeed, especially when served with brown basmati rice. They include some hidden carrots for additional veg oomph. A perfect healthy whole food vegan supper to Jumpstart January.
It may no longer be the International Year of Pulses, but lentils, beans and peas have been one of my staples ever since I can remember. They’re not only nutritious, delicious and filling, but they make a great base for many a meal.
Black Bean Curry Bowls with Tomato and Carrots
The recipe is adapted from Meera Sodha’s new vegetarian cookbook, Fresh India which I featured in my Christmas gift guide. It’s fast become one of my favourite books.
Meera’s curry, which she names Rajma contains kidney beans and no carrots. I had no kidney beans to hand, but I did have some cooked black beans in the freezer; I thought they might look rather dramatic against the red of the tomato sauce.
My veg rack was sporting a few not-quite-but-nearly wrinkled carrots, so I thought I’d better use them up quick and incorporate them into the sauce. I substituted a red chilli for the green one, omitted the chilli powder and used slightly different quantities of the other spices.
Hidden Veg
The sauce for the black bean tomato carrot curry is whizzed up in a blender. I used my Optimum G2.3 platinum series induction blender, This made short work of grinding the onions, carrots, ginger and other firm ingredients into a loose paste. It was then a simple process of frying some spices, adding the sauce and finally the beans and a few more spices.
Because the sauce is so fine, no-one would know there were carrots in it. So it’s a great curry for anyone whole doesn’t like, or doesn’t think they like, carrots.
Brown Basmati Rice
I served the curry with the last of the Christmas brussels sprouts and brown basmati rice. This is probably my favourite rice: it’s fragrant, slightly nutty and keeps the selenium, manganese, niacin, calcium, magnesium, fibre and more that is largely lost in white rice.
I like a bit of chilli heat, but you can always use a mild or small chilli instead if you don’t want it too hot. We ate half of the curry one day and the remainder the next. Like all curries, it was even better on day two.
For extra flavour and a cooling effect, try it with a good dollop of homemade raita.
Other Recipes for Vegan Curries You Might Like
- Aubergine, mushroom & sweet potato massaman curry via Planet Veggie
- Bunny chow (bean & tomato curry via Tin and Thyme
- Cauliflower leaf and sweet potato curry via Veggie Desserts
- Cauliflower rice and jerk sweet potatoes via Tin and Thyme
- Chickpea lentil curry via Casa Costello
- Creamy pumpkin curry via Amuse Your Bouche
- Green split pea curry via Tin and Thyme
- Kill-a-cold lentil curry via Tin and Thyme
- Prashad’s vegetable hindi via Gingey Bites
- Spinach chickpea curry via Tin and Thyme
- Thai green curry with cashew nuts via Tin and Thyme
For even more curry inspiration, head over to my Cure All Curries board on Pinterest. There you’ll find plenty of both vegan and vegetarian curries from all over the world.
Froothie Power Blenders
For more recipes using Froothie blenders take a look at my blender category page.
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these black bean curry bowls, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Have you any top tips? Please share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Like this recipe for Black Bean Tomato Carrot Curry Bowls? Pin it for later.
Black Bean Tomato Carrot Curry Bowls – The Recipe
Black Bean Tomato Carrot Curry with Brown Basmati Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g brown basmati rice
- 1 large onion or 2 small ones – peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 medium carrots topped, tailed and scrubbed
- 1 red chilli deseeded
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 thumb size knob root ginger (I use organic ginger and keep the skin on)
- 400 g tinned plum tomatoes
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil or sunflower oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 400 g cooked black beans or 1 tin – drained and rinsed
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 6 sprigs coriander leaves (cilantro) (optional) – washed and chopped
Instructions
- Wash the rice well, place in a pan with 425ml water. Place a lid on the pan. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down and allow the rice to steam for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the pan covered for a further ten minutes or until ready to serve.
- Blitz the onions, carrots, chilli, garlic, ginger and tomatoes in a blender until a loose paste forms (I use my Froothie power blender).
- Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the cumin seeds for a few seconds, then add the tomato paste.
- Stir, bring to a simmer and cook for twenty minutes.
- Fill the empty tomato tin with water and add this to the paste.
- Bring to a simmer and add the beans and remaining spices. Add salt to taste and cook for a further ten minutes.
- Scatter the coriander leaves over the top just before serving.
- Serve with the rice, your choice of green vegetable and pickles.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Linkies
I’m sending my black bean tomato carrot curry to Jac at Tinned Tomatoes for Meat Free Mondays.
It also goes to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary for the No Food Waste Challenge – those carrots really wouldn’t have lasted any longer nor would the Brussels sprouts.
Finally, I’m sharing this black bean curry bowl recipe with Everyday Healthy Recipes for #CookBlogShare and with Searching for Spice for #CookOnceEatTwice.
I use my Optimum Blenders for smoothies, spreads, sauces and even chocolate making. The post contains affiliate links. Affiliate links are marked with an *. Buying through a link will not cost you any more, but I will get a small commission. This helps keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging. Opinions are, as always, my own.
Elizabeth says
What a gorgeous way to serve the last of the festive sprouts! I love all the spices in this recipe – it sounds like a super inspiring book you’ve adapted it from. Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge, it’s always great to have you on board! 🙂
Choclette says
Aw, thanks Elizabeth. It’s a fab book. I just need time to take a proper look at it. We’re big fans of spicy food here. It was curry for us again last night 🙂
ema says
Love this and such a tasty combination with the black beans and carrots, and i’m a big fan of brown rice too.
Choclette says
Thank you. Brown rice has such a lovely nutty flavour, I’m not quite sure why it is generally despised.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
You rock at these bowls Choclette!
Thanks for entering them into Meat Free Mondays, I featured your recipe and the roundup is now live, if you would like to see what else was featured this week or just how bonnie your dish looks. Right, now time to do a bit of promotion for this post for you!
Choclette says
Thanks Jac. I’ll head on over later to see what other feasts you have for us 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
This looks like a perfect meal! I think I may have found me new favorite curry combo!
Choclette says
Haha, yes, it’s mine for the moment, but I’m rather fickle when it comes to food. I suspect something else will quickly win my affection 😉
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
This curry sounds perfect for a weeknight meal!
Choclette says
It really is Kat and it’s also really easy to bulk up if needing to feed a crowd.
Mina Joshi says
I have made the Rajma curry from Meera’s recipe and substituting Rajma for black beans sounds perfect. I have only just started using black beans and find them so easy to cook.
Choclette says
I’d be interested to hear what you think of Meera’s book Mina? Black beans are just fabulous.
Mel | A Virtual Vegan says
My kind of dinner! I love beans and I love curry. I also love sprouts with my curry! It could have been made for me :O)
Choclette says
I must have had you in mind Mel 🙂
Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet says
This is such a lovely vegetarian recipe, Choclette. I simply love the smell of Basmati rice. And the black beans there is a perfect match.
Choclette says
Oh yes, so right. The scent of basmati rice cooking is wonderful. Thank you.
Helen Costello says
Oh I could really do with that warm and hearty dish right now. Definitely loving the idea of adding black beans to a curry. Thank you so much for the mention x
Choclette says
Thanks Helen. I’m not sure what makes black beans so good, but they really are rather fab 🙂
Kate @ Veggie Desserts says
This curry sounds delicious. I love that you can whip up the sauce in the blender. 🙂
Choclette says
I would be so lost without a good blender. I use it most days.
Heidi Roberts says
There is something about brown rice – plain or basmati that just screams healthy and goodness! this looks like it would be really satisfying.
Choclette says
Personally, I find it much tastier than white rice too 🙂
Chris @thinlyspread says
Black beans are my absolute favourite, I bung them in everything! This looks like perfect January food and I am totally craving sprouts again now!
Choclette says
Black beans are so good. I’ve only come across them in the last few years. My mother always used to use large black beans which I wasn’t very keen on, so I was suspicious of these turtle beans – until I tried them!
Cathy @ Planet Veggie says
We have the same ‘loosely based on a recipe’ technique – use what we’ve got in the cupboard and add/omit to our own personal taste 🙂
Choclette says
Well that’s what good cooking’s all about really 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love that black bean tomato curry sauce! It’s not only healthy, also very delicious, Choclette.
Choclette says
Thanks Angie, it was definitely delicious, although it’s the sort of food we eat all of the time 🙂
joe ledesma says
thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes. I have been a vegetarian for 5 years now and I can’t tell you enough how your blog has perked up my cooking! I look forward to your postings and trying your recipes. Thanks again and best wishes for the new year.
Choclette says
Hello Joe. Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know. That’s possibly the nicest thing that’s happened to me this year 🙂 Happy New Year to you too.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Yum! I can never follow a recipe to the letter, even one from a really great cookbook, so I like the sound of your substitutions!
Choclette says
Yes, I’m hopeless at following recipes, but they are great for inspiration and guidelines 🙂