White Beans in Olive Oil - Kuru Fasulye

White Beans over Rice - Kurufasulye - Pilav is one of the most basic, traditional, comforting dishes in the Turkish Cuisine. If you go to a restaurant and ask the waiter for "over the rice" without even mentioning the word "beans", he would bring you white beans over rice. Some famous restaurants are known for their "White Beans over Rice". Many colleges and high schools serve it on their "Alumni Days" with pride.

Below is the vegetarian version of the recipe. However, you can add chicken, beef or lamb to it. If you want to add meat, cook meat separately. Add cooked meat to the sauce before you add the beans. Cook the sauce with the meat for 5 minutes to mix the flavors, then add the beans.

Ingredients:

• 1 cups dry white beans
• 5 +1 cups boiling water
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika or chili peppers
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Soak beans overnight or at least for 6 hours.

In a pot combine 5 cups of boiling water, 1 teaspoon of salt and beans.  Let it simmer over medium heat until the beans are tender, about 30-45 minutes. Drain, set aside.

Soak Beans overnight

Beans soaked, drained, ready for cooking

In a pot sauté onions in ¼ cup olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, paprika, sugar (optional), salt and pepper, mix all with a spoon. Add 1 cup boiling water, bring to a boil. Add beans to the pot, stir. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes to let the flavors mix. Serve it hot with some sort of pilaf like rice, bulgur or quinoa.  In Turkey, it is customary to serve beans over white rice with pickles on the side. Ayran, a yogurt drink goes well with this meal.

Afiyet Olsun! Bon Appetit!