Arabic Baked Beans with Cheddar (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
3 plum tomatoes (350g)
02 -
3 tablespoons olive oil
03 -
1 onion, very finely chopped (180g)
04 -
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
05 -
25g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
06 -
1 green chilli, finely chopped with seeds
07 -
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, finely crushed
08 -
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, finely crushed
09 -
1 teaspoon paprika
10 -
3 tablespoons tomato paste
11 -
1 teaspoon sugar
12 -
2 cans (400g each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (480g total)
13 -
25g fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
14 -
120g labneh or cream cheese
15 -
120g mature cheddar, roughly grated
16 -
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
→ Topping
17 -
3 tablespoons olive oil
18 -
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
19 -
15g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
20 -
3 spring onions (scallions), green parts only, finely chopped
# Instructions:
01 -
Use a small knife to cut around and remove the tomato stems then make a small 'X' incision on the opposite end. Place in a medium heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover by a couple of centimetres. Leave for about 2–3 minutes, or until the tomato skins visibly start to peel off. Drain, then carefully remove and discard the skins. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and set aside.
02 -
Preheat the oven to its highest setting, placing a rack on the top shelf.
03 -
In a large, cast-iron pan (or ovenproof sauté pan), heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and 1⁄8 teaspoon of salt, turn down the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and very lightly coloured. Add the garlic, ginger, green chilli, spices and tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes more, stirring often, until deeply red.
04 -
Pour in 450ml of water, then stir in the sugar, beans, tomatoes, 3⁄4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the tomatoes are only just starting to lose their shape and the sauce has thickened just slightly.
05 -
Stir in the coriander and remove from the heat. Top evenly with spoonfuls of the labneh (or cream cheese) then sprinkle with the cheddar. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until browned and bubbling.
06 -
Meanwhile, make the topping. Add all the topping ingredients plus a tiny pinch of salt to a small frying pan and place over a medium-low heat. Cook gently for about 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened and fragrant. You don't want it to colour at all, so if it starts to bubble too much, turn down the heat to low. Transfer to a bowl.
07 -
When the beans are ready, spoon the topping all over and serve warm.
# Notes:
01 -
You can substitute cream cheese for labneh if homemade or store-bought labneh is unavailable.