Who ever thought pasta/noodles could be so nutritious and healthy. We live in truly wonderful times! This black bean noodle is 92% Black bean, and 8% water – I love the ‘Explore Asian’ brand!
Whenever I make pasta/noodles, my veggie or sauce mixture is double the quantity of the noodles. It’s the perfect ratio of nutrition, and also volumizes the dish. I put together a cornucopia of vegetables, some spicy green peppers, and fresh mint for a delectable hash to toss together with the black bean noodles.
You could absolutely make this your own by using any vegetable you have handy. Makes an easy and delicious pack ahead lunch for the week. Vegan and Gluten Free. Also, mind blowingly yummy. Do give it a try!
Ingredients:
Serves 4
1 pack (200g) of organic black bean spaghetti shape (Explore Asian brand)
4 tbsp canola oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (I always use seeds and all)
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
2 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt (adjust per the kind of salt you use)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 green bell pepper + 1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch fresh mint leaves ~ 1/2 cup, chopped
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed well (I used canned black beans)
2 sprigs fresh cilantro ~1/4 cup, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
Method:
Bring about 8 cups of water to a boil. Add salt, and a dash of oil. When water is boiling, add pasta and stir. Cook pasta according to the package; in my case, simmer for 6 minutes. After 6 mins, strain and rinse under cold water to prevent it from sticking together. Set aside. Even if the pasta is a bit al dente, that’s okay, we will be adding the pasta back into a sauce/veggie mixture where it will continue to cook a bit more.
In a large pan, heat canola oil over medium heat and add sliced garlic. As soon as the garlic starts getting golden, add cumin and coriander powders. Saute for a few seconds, and drop in the jalapenos and poblano peppers. Saute for a minute until the peppers begin to soften.
Add chopped onions, and fry for 3-4 minutes until they soften.
Add in the tomatoes, red chilli powder, and salt. Toss together, cover and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Once the tomatoes have softened, add in the carrots, red and green bell peppers. Cook another 7-8 minutes.
Toss in fresh mint leaves, sprouts and black beans. Mix this all together thoroughly and add a cup of water for the optimal saucy consistency. Let this come to boil and simmer; this takes about 10 minutes.
The simmering veggie/black bean hash will thicken considerably after simmering and when the black bean pasta is added, they continue to absorb the liquid as well.
Add the cooked and rinsed black bean noodles to the black bean veggie hash and toss together.
Sprinkle cilantro on top, a good squeeze of 1/2 lemon, and serve hot!
