It turns out there is something magical about all beans.
Nov 27, 2024 04:50 IST First published on: Nov 27, 2024 at 04:50 IST
Imagine, for a second, that when Jack (of the Beanstalk fame) traded in his family’s cow, the beans he got in exchange were not the magical kind. That, unlike in the story where the beans lead him to his destiny as the Giantslayer, they were of the type that could only be stewed and eaten. For rajma lovers, rejoicing at the news that their favourite dish ranks among the 50 best bean dishes in the world, as per a recent Taste Atlas poll, that would not be a bad trade-off. For those who appreciate the yielding creaminess of well-cooked kidney beans, few things can match up to the pleasure of digging into a hot dish of rajma-chawal.
Common beans — the loose group to which rajma/kidney beans belong, along with other popular varieties like pinto, cannellini and navy/haricot — may have originated in South America, but their versatility and heartiness have ensured that they’ve become a pantry staple around the world. From India to Spain, Jamaica to Turkey, different cultures embraced beans, infusing them with unique flavours and pairing them with all manner of ingredients, from meat and vegetables, to mushroom and rice.
Yet, the hallmark of a good dish of beans, above even its incredible adaptability, is comfort. Consider, for example, the fact that the most notable bean-based dish to come out of El Bulli, the storied Spanish restaurant which originated the concept of molecular gastronomy, was a humble “family meal” bean soup: Soothing rather than challenging; warming rather than astonishing, unlike most of Chef Ferran Adria’s other creations. Or, scan through the rest of the Taste Atlas list and note that almost every bean dish listed on it, from the Portuguese feijoada to the Egyptian ful medames, is a beloved home-cooking staple so infused with nostalgia that it is a culinary time-machine taking one back to a past of simple, shared joys. It turns out there is something magical about all beans.
