Afghan lubya is a hearty, comfort food dish that is perfect for a cold day. This Afghan kidney bean soup will warm you up from the inside out! afghan lubya is made with simple ingredients and it’s easy to prepare. So, gather your supplies and let’s get started!
Afghan Lubya Will Make You Think of Chili
If you coming from an American background, Afghan lubya will remind you of cold-weather days eating chili by the fire.
With the addition of cumin, coriander, mint, and some Afghan yogurt sauce, you may not ever go back to your old chili recipes again!
Kidney Beans are Healthy
Kidney beans are a rich source of nutrients. If you are looking to get healthier, or have your family eat healthier, adding kidney beans recipes to your rotation is a great way to start. Kidney beans offer:
an excellent source of fiber and protein.
low calories and fat.
Regulation of blood sugar levels.
A good source of antioxidants.
And, kidney beans may help protect against heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Don’t be Intimidated by Using Dried beans in Your Afghan Lubya
For the most part Afghans, and many people around the world, don’t use canned beans. They are not readily acceptable and, frankly, are more expensive. When making Afghan Lubya I encourage you to test out using dried beans if you never have. To prepare them:
Place the kidney beans in a large pot or bowl.
Cover the beans with water and let them soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
As always we make this recipe easy to print and replicate. I suggest you watch the video if you have any questions. Also, leave a comment. I always respond.
Are you a fan of Afghan Cooks and want to help spread the word? Well, social media is critical. Finally, don’t forget us on social media. We are onTik-Tok,Instagram, andYoutube. We also have a wonderful non-spammy Afghan Cooks Club. Sign up for that too!
Want Secret Recipes? News Updates?
Subscribe to our Afghan Cooks Club now. (free secret recipe for signing up)
Afghan lubya is vegetarian and, served with rice, is a hearty meal. It can easily be made vegan by substituting a non-dairy yogurt for the Afghan yogurt sauce. Great for a cold-weather day.
Ingredients
Scale
3 Cups Dried Kidney Beans
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 Finely Chopped Onion
5 Cloves Finely Minced Garlic
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Coriander
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 Can Whole Tomatoes
1–2 Cartons of Vegetable Broth
4 Tablespoons Dried Mint
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Cornstarch for thickening gravy
Instructions
1. Soak your beans. Preferably overnight. But it is just as acceptable to soak them with your chai or coffee first in the morning.
2. Pull out your instant pot or saute pan—heat oil, sautee onions, and then garlic. Next, add your cumin and coriander.
3. Next, you want to add some color to your tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste for a few minutes. This will help you eliminate the “canned” taste and develop the tomato flavor.
4. Next, add the can of tomatoes. If you have some leftover baby grape tomatoes, you can add those too but not necessary. (I did it in the YouTube video because I had some extra).
5. Next, add your vegetable broth. This will depend on how thirsty your beans are. I start with 1 Cup.
6. Let the ingredients cook down a bit. Then add your dried mint, salt, and black pepper. Finally, add your soaked beans. On top of that, add more vegetable broth until all your ingredients are fully covered in the instant pot. You never want to be low on the liquid in an instant pot or pressure cooker because you will risk burning the food on the bottom.
7. Put your instant pot lid on and cook for 15 minutes on the “bean” selection. I highly encourage a pressure cooker if you don’t have an instant pot. Any other method will make this a weekend recipe, not a weeknight recipe.
8. When you take your lid off, you can likely notice your liquid is not as thick as you would like. This is because you want a nice “gravy” so that it coats the rice you serve it with. I always make a quick cornstarch slurry to thicken my lubya gravy.
9. To make a slurry, start with a 1-to-2 ratio of cornstarch to water. For example, prepare one tablespoon of cornstarch and two tablespoons of water. Add this to your lubya while it’s still hot and stir. You will have a lovely thick gravy now!
10. Finally, serve with some rice and top with some Afghan yogurt sauce.
Notes
If you want to make Afghan challow (rice), click here.
Cover the beans with two cups of fresh water, add a bay leaf or two to the pot along with seasonings of your preference, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for one to two hours, or until the beans reach your desired consistency.
Aushak – dumplings filled with a mixture consisting mainly of leeks, topped with either garlic-mint qoroot or a garlic yogurt sauce, sautéed tomatoes, red kidney beans, and a well-seasoned ground-meat mixture (It is a dish associated with Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.)
Take soaked kidney beans and salt in a large pot and cover with several inches of water. Bring it to a boil and let it boil for 20 minutes on high heat. Reduce the heat after 20 minutes, and cover with a lid, leaving a small gap for the steam to escape. Check once every 30 minutes to ensure there is sufficient water.
If the water level drops below the beans, add more water so the beans are covered at all times. The beans are done cooking when they're all tender; you can test this as they by smooshing a bean or two against the side of the pot with a fork — it should collapse easily, but not be mushy.
Soaking dried beans helps shorten the actually cooking time because it helps break down the complex starches and fibers that dry beans possess. Which is great if it's easy enough for you to remember to cover those beans with water and let them sit overnight while you're sleeping.
Kabuli pulao is the Afghan national dish. Unmistakable in its appearance with its glistening carrots and large tender chunks of lamb, Kabuli pulao is an unforgettable dish.
Breakfast Afghan or Lebanese bread with peanut butter and jam, cheese and fried eggs are common foods for breakfast. Tea with milk and sugar (one to four teaspoons or even more) is also served with breakfast. Lunch is usually eaten at noon and is the largest meal of the day.
Shakoor: In Afghanistan, these spices are used in many of our main dishes. The spices are commonly used in rice dishes, both with and without meat. The dishes in Afghanistan get their unique, special flavor from these spices.
Watch to discover the extraordinary journey of our saffron, handpicked from the fields of Afghanistan to your kitchen! 💫 It's a tale of 75,000 flowers, 4,000 empowered women, and one mission: to connect Afghan farmers to the global market.
All you need to do is combine well-rinsed beans, water to cover, and a bit of salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil and allow the kidney beans to boil for 10-20 minutes to ensure safety, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer with the lid off for 40-60 minutes.
Canned beans are packed in a solution of water, salt, and starch. That solution can leave a glossy film on the beans, interfering with not only mouthfeel (slimy beans are a little off-putting), but also the ability of the beans to cling to other ingredients in the dish and absorb those flavors.
To cook, place the soaked kidney beans in a pan and cover with a fresh change of cold water, then bring to the boil. The beans must boil for ten minutes to destroy the toxin. After this, simmer until cooked (approximately 45 to 60 minutes), when they should have an even, creamy texture throughout.
Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish. Open your cans of beans using a can opener. There may be sharp edges from opening the can.
Overcooked beans are perfectly safe to eat, but while they may be edible, they'll be less pleasant to consume. Signs that your beans are overcooked include them being very soft and mushy. Tender beans are ideal, but if they lack firmness and don't keep their shape, they have probably simmered for too long.
Melt some butter in a frying pan until foaming then add kidneys and season with salt and pepper.Fry over a high heat for about 2min on each side. They should only be cooked enough to be browned all over but still pink in middle. Kidneys can also be braised where the slow cooking tenderises them.
Introduction: My name is Margart Wisoky, I am a gorgeous, shiny, successful, beautiful, adventurous, excited, pleasant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
