Red Bean Stew, Just Like Grandma’s

My grandfather was an athlete, too.

He played forward for SC Hakoah Wien (Vienna’s Jewish sports club) in the 1930s.

If you haven’t heard of it, this was the soccer team of Vienna’s Jewish sports association.

The team even made it into Austria’s national league.

Not long afterward, on the eve of World War II, the Germans shut down the team and the association and seized the stadium.

My grandfather, Ludwig (Yehuda) Leffler, the soccer player, immigrated to what is now Israel to help build a new home there. He also played plenty of soccer with the British and the Arabs.

My grandmother cooked protein-rich meals for him to help him stay strong.

She had come from Europe as a pioneer in the 1930s, and her cooking was very much European: hearty, heavy, and rich.

Usually with plenty of beef, liver, and fat.

But when meat was hard to come by—these were Israel’s austerity years, after all—she would make a red bean stew packed with vegetables and flavor, all swimming in a wonderful red sauce.

She served it over rice or ptitim (Israeli toasted pasta), with a little tomato, onion, and cucumber salad and a glass of cold water on the side.

It was a wonderful meal, delicious and comforting in that way only Grandma’s cooking can be.

For the photos in this post, I pulled my grandmother’s blue tablecloth out of storage. For a moment, I could picture her setting the table in their small, modest kitchen and putting down a pot of this beautiful stew.

Nothing brings back the people we love and miss quite like food.

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How Do You Serve It?

A serving of red bean stew paired with a carbohydrate source like rice, ptitim, or bread makes a satisfying lunch or dinner rich in protein, fiber, and important minerals.

Its high fiber and protein content also makes it a great fit when you’re working on getting leaner.

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Nutrition Information from Noam Bachar (an Israeli Nutritionist and Fitness Coach)

Per serving, for 3 servings (without rice)

330 calories

30 g carbohydrates

25 g protein

14 g fat (2 g saturated fat)

10 g fiber

A Little About the Recipe

I’ve made a few changes to suit the Israeli palate. I swapped Grandma’s sunflower oil for olive oil, which I prefer, and added garlic and a little cilantro. The result is nothing short of wonderful.

In the mood for bean soup instead? Here’s the recipe.

Red Bean Stew

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 minute

Total Time 19 minutes

Yield 3 servings

Ingredients

• 250 g (8.8 oz) red beans weighed dry, before cooking
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 carrot peeled and diced
• 1 celery root peeled and diced
• 1 level tablespoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon silan (date syrup)
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 leaves fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon hot paprika optional, if you like a little heat

Instructions

1. Soak the 250 g (8.8 oz, about 1 cup) red beans in 3 cups of water overnight (8 hours).
2. The next morning, drain off the soaking water and transfer the beans to a large pot.
3. Add 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon baking soda, and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
5. After 20 minutes, add the diced celery root, carrot, sage leaves, and cilantro. Continue cooking over very low heat for 40 minutes.
6. After 40 minutes, the beans should be very soft.
7. If there’s a lot of liquid left in the pot, drain off the excess, leaving about 1 cup of cooking liquid.
8. Add the spices, garlic, and tomato paste. Stir and cook for another 3–4 minutes, just to heat everything through.
9. Turn off the heat and serve hot over rice or ptitim, topped with a little chopped cilantro.