Grandma-Style Red Bean Stew

My grandfather was also an athlete.

He was a striker for the football team "Hakoah Vienna" (SC Hakoah Wien) during the 1930s in Vienna.

For those who aren’t familiar, this was the football team of the Jewish Sports Association in Vienna.

The team was so successful they even made it to the Austrian National League.

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

My grandfather, Ludwig (Yehuda) Loeffler the footballer, immigrated to Israel to make the desert bloom and also played a lot of football with the British and the Arabs.

My grandmother used to cook him protein-rich stews to keep him strong.

As a pioneer who came from Europe in the 30s, she cooked heavy and very rich European food.

Usually with a lot of heavy beef and fat.

But when meat wasn't available (it was the austerity period, after all), she would cook a red bean stew rich in flavors and vegetables, swimming in a wonderful red sauce.

She would serve it over rice (or ptitim) with a small salad of tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers, and a glass of cold water on the side.

It was a wonderful, delicious, and comforting dish, as only grandma’s food can be.

In honor of the photos for this post, I pulled my grandmother’s blue tablecloth out of storage, and for a moment, I could imagine her setting the table in their small, modest kitchen and placing this wonderful stew on it.

There is nothing like food to help us remember the people we love who are no longer with us.

______________________________________________________

How to eat it?

One serving of red bean stew combined with a portion of carbohydrates, such as rice, ptitim, or bread, can be a perfect lunch or dinner that is very high in protein, dietary fiber, and essential minerals.

It's perfect for a cutting phase, due to its high fiber content and high protein content as well.

______________________________________________________

Nutritional values by Nutritionist and Fitness Coach Noam Bachar

One serving out of 3 (-without rice)

330 kcal

30g carbohydrates

25g protein

14g fat (2g saturated fat)

10g dietary fiber

A bit about the recipe

I changed the recipe slightly to adapt it to the Israeli palate; I added olive oil, which is preferable to the sunflower oil my grandmother used, added garlic and a bit of cilantro, and the result is nothing short of wonderful.

Want to make bean soup? Here is the recipe.

Red Bean Stew

Prep time 10 minutes

Cook time 60 minutes

Total time 70 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

• 250 g red beans before cooking
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 carrot peeled and diced
• 1 celery root peeled and diced
• 1 level tbsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp date syrup (silan)
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bunch cilantro coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 leaves of sage
• 1 tsp hot paprika optional - for those who like it spicy

Instructions

1. Soak 250g of red beans (about one cup) in 3 cups of water overnight (8 hours).
2. The next morning, drain the soaking water and transfer the beans to a large pot.
3. Add 3 cups of water and one teaspoon of baking soda, and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes without a lid.
5. After 20 minutes, add the diced celery, carrot, sage leaves, and cilantro, and continue to cook for 40 minutes over very low heat.
6. After 40 minutes, the beans should be very soft.
7. If there is a large amount of liquid left in the pot, drain some of the cooking water, leaving an amount equal to one cup in the pot.
8. Add the spices, garlic, and tomato paste, stir, and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes just to heat through.
9. Turn off the heat and serve hot with a little chopped cilantro over rice or ptitim.