Ingredients
(serves 3-4)
1 cup pinto beans, soaked 24 hours (or at least overnight)
4-5 cups of water (perhaps a bit more, as desired)
1 Tablespoon ghee, butter or sunflower oil
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 pinches hing (asafetida) powder (to reduce gas of beans)
2 whole carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 handfuls fresh spinach
½ teaspoon mineral-rich salt (like pink Himalayan salt)

To Prepare:

1. In a saucepan, warm the ghee or oil over medium-low heat. Add the fresh ginger, mustard seeds, and fennel seeds and sauté for a minute until the seeds start to release their aroma. Add the powdered spices and sauté for another minute.

2. Add the soaked beans. Then add water and raise the heat to bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook until beans are soft (about 45 minutes to an hour). Check periodically and add more water as needed to prevent sticking on the bottom and provide as much “sauce” as you desire.

4. Halfway through, add the sliced carrots and celery.

5. After 45 minutes to an hour, test the beans – they should be soft with no crunch. Otherwise, keep cooking!

6. When beans are tender, stir in the spinach and the salt. Allow to sit covered for 5 minutes so spinach cooks.

Serve over rice and garnish each serving with fresh cilantro, a few squeezes of fresh lime, additional ghee if desired, and salt to taste.