Recipe: East Chili Lima Beans with Fresh Dill Dalna

Title: East: Chili Lima Beans with Fresh Dill (Dalna)
Categories: India, Beans, Chili
Yield: 6 servings

Stephen Ceideburg 1/2 c Peeled, chopped tomato
1/4 c Large dried lima beans 2 tb Flaked coconut
1/2 tb Light vegetable oil 2 tb Chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 ts Cumin seeds 2 1/2 c Water
1/2 c Chopped onion 1/4 ts Cayenne pepper
2 Garlic cloves, peeled, 1/2 ts Paprika
-crushed 1/2 ts Salt, or to taste
1 Half-inch piece fresh 1 tb Chopped fresh dill
-ginger, peeled

Dalnas are the ingenious creations of cooks from Orissa, in eastern India.
Traditionally, the dish is prepared with yellow mung beans, but I have
created this recipe using readily obtainable large lima beans. To round out
the menu, accompany this robust stew with rice pilaf.

Rinse lima beans. Soak in water to cover for 6 hours, or overnight. Drain
and rinse again. Set aside.

Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin, onion,
garlic and ginger. Stir and cook until onion starts to brown, about 4
minutes. Add tomato, coconut and cilantro, reduce heat and cook until
tomato is soft. Transfer to a blender, add 1/4 cup of the water and blend
until smooth. (If necessary, add more water to facilitate blending.)

Combine beans, tomato-onion mixture and remaining water in a heavy 2 quart
saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until
beans are tender, but still hold their shape, about 1 hour. Add cayenne,
paprika and salt. Mix thoroughly. Garnish with fresh dill.

PER SERVING: 55 calories, 2 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (1 g
saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 181 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

Laxmi Hiremath writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/24/92.