[inspired by Curry Beanz from Heinz]

INGREDIENTS

500g dry white kidney beans or other white beans such as haricot / navy beans (soaked overnight)
1 large mango – about 700g (peeled and cubed)
4-5 apples – about 500g (peeled and cubed)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
4 tbs mild curry powder (I used Tropical Sun Caribbean mild curry powder)
sea salt to taste
1½ tbs soft dark brown sugar
3 large shallots (peeled, chopped)
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 cup of raisins
hot water

METHOD

Rinse and drain previously soaked overnight beans. Add fresh water and cook them until soft for about an hour. In meantime in a large non stick pot combine mango, apples, tomatoes, shallots, curry powder, chilli flakes, about 2 cups of water and cook covered until fruits are very soft and melting.  When beans are soft, but still firm, drain them and add to the pot with fruit mixture. Add also raisins and cook covered over medium-low fire for about an hour adding hot water if necessary and stirring from time to time. Towards the end add brown sugar and sea salt to taste.

Serve 8-10 people as a side dish or many more for breakfast.

• Beans taste even better reheated next day on the top of toasted bread with Cheddar or roasted chicken.
• My curried beans came out very tasty but different in flavour to the ones from the tin.
• Remember that beans have to have to get soft before you can add salt, otherwise they may never get soft.
• Optionally mash fruit pieces just before adding beans and raisins for smooth texture of the sauce.
• White kidney beans should cook for about 2 hours all together, smaller beans such as haricot will take less time.