Indian Spiced Black Beans, Rice, and Naan

      I would love to share with you one of my favorite ways to season black beans to enjoy with rice, and Naan.  I was first introduced to Indian cooking in 1996.  I loved it immediately, all the warm spices, and rich sauces.  I began to incorporate many of the Indian spices into my cooking, my favorite mixture of spices being, Garam Masala.  For more information about garam masala (what it means and what it's made from) please see the wikkipedia link below. 

     I began adding garam masala to black beans, along with some red pepper flakes, lemon juice, a little salt, and a little more cumin.  The spices would fill the kitchen and my family members would wander in asking what the delightful smell was.  My mom, especially, took an interest in preparing Indian foods with me.  She came up with a Naan recipe and perfected it...adding, guess what....a little bit of garam masala to the flour dough for flavor.  They were/are delicious!!!  This served with the black beans and some plain basmati rice is a delightful meal. Below is a recipe for the black beans, and for the Naan. 

Black Beans Recipe:

2 cups black beans (canned or dried and soaked)

1 T cumin

1 T garam masala

a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes

juice of 1/2-1whole lemon

1 green bell pepper, sliced

Combine these ingredients together in a pot. Add small amount of water to stirr. Add more of each spice as desired. Heat thoroughly. 

Naan Recipe: adapted from All Recipes.com (please see link below)

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

3 tablespoons milk

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour

2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)

1 tsp. garam masala (optional)

1/4 cup butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in , milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
2. Punch down dough, and knead in garlic and garam masala. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
3. During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
4. At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

Serve the black beans and Naan with plain basmati rice (Brown rice has more nutrient value then white) The Naan recipe makes 14 servings.  The black bean recipes makes 6 servings.  Feel free to adjust amounts as desired. 

Please see links below for information about garam masala and original Naan recipe from All Recipes.Com.  I made changes to the recipe, such as taking out sugar, adding garam masala, and specifying whole wheat flour for it's nutrient value.  Additionally, many of the ingredients may be able to be found locally, such as: the whole wheat flour, green bell pepper, and black beans.  Enjoy!!!

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/naan/Detail.aspx