Another vegetarian delight!  Red or cranberry beans in olive oil (barbunya) is a very popular dish served at room temperature or cold with any meal. A meat dish, a rice dish, perhaps a salad and a barbunya makes a complete meal anytime, prepared in advance and ready for serving straight out of the fridge. For a light, vegetarian lunch, have a plate of barbunya alone. You will also find this dish in the mezze (appetizer or tapas) lists at restaurants as it is a perfect accompaniment to a raki table (Raki is a traditional Turkish alcoholic drink with aniseed flavor) on a night out.

One crucial ingredient for this dish is clearly the beans. You can use either dry, fresh (if in season) or pre-boiled and canned beans for this recipe. If you use dry beans, you will need to put them in hot water and soak them overnight. And before you continue with the rest of the recipe, you will also need to pre-boil them so they cook well.  You may also use fresh beans if you can find them in your area.

To prepare this easy dish, start by heating the olive oil on a saute pan and add the onions and garlic to cook them until they become soft and translucent.  Add the tomato, carrot, potato, some of the parsley (chopped), sugar and the beans along with a glass of water, salt and pepper to taste. You will cover and leave it to cook for at least 8 - 10 minutes. (Although the beans will be cooked before you add them, you will still be cooking them again until carrots are soft and well cooked as well. Therefore, it is best not to overcook them if you choose to use dry beans and pre-cook them yourself. If you are not sure, you can also add the beans after the carrots are already cooked.)

Once the carrots are cooked and soft to the bite, but before the potatoes and the beans become too soft (this is important!), your dish will be ready and should be removed from the heat.  Place the beans in a serving bowl and let the dish cool down, decorate it with the remaining parsley and there you are.  When you are serving it onto the plates, make sure to serve it with lemon juice for the perfect flavor.

Gulenden

2009 Copyright. Foods of Turkey