Loubia – a dish of stewed beans — appears in various forms in different parts of the world. What all the dishes have in common is beans, of one kind or another, cooked slowly with aromatics and enough liquid to form a soupy stew. In Lebanese cuisine, lubia involves green beans or green beans with beef, in Afghanistan lobia or lobya is made with red kidney beans and in the Punjab you’ll find lobia, a curry of black-eyed beans. Culinary historian Claudia Roden includes a recipe for a black-eyed pea salad, called loubia, in The Book of Jewish Food. Canadian author and culinary anthropologist Naomi Duguid, in her latest award-winning book, Persia, defines lobios, as they are known in that region, simply as vegetable stews.
Dried beans need to be soaked overnight but this version of Moroccan loubia, using canned white beans, is an easy, warming and nourishing dish, just right for warding off winter’s chill. Serve with crusty bread or over rice for a satisfying vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil 2 Tbs
- Onion 1 medium, chopped
- Garlic 3 cloves, minced
- Cannellini Beans 1 x 540 ml can
- Crushed Tomatoes 1 x 400 ml can
- White Wine or Water 1 cup
- Sundried Tomatoes ¼ cup, chopped
- Turmeric Powder 1 tsp
- Cumin Powder 1 tsp
- Hot or Sweet Paprika 1 tsp
- Bay Leaf 1
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- Kale leafy part only, roughly chopped, 3 cups
- Fresh Parsley for garnish
Cook It
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet. Sauté the onions until they are translucent and starting to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add all remaining ingredients except the kale and parsley. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped kale and cook for a few minutes more until the kale is wilted and soft.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve over rice or with crusty bread.
