Kuru Fasulye

Rinse the beans and pick out any stones or broken ones. Put them in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least 5 cm, because they roughly double in size. Leave them to soak for 8–12 hours, or overnight, at room temperature. Drain and rinse them again before cooking. Soaking shortens the cooking and gives beans that cook evenly instead of splitting while the centres stay hard.

• white bean400 g

Cut the beef into 2 cm cubes and pat dry. Chop the onions finely. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, add the beef and brown it on all sides for 5–6 minutes, without crowding. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for another 5–6 minutes, until they are soft and golden at the edges. Browning the meat first gives the stew its depth.

• butter30 g
• beef250 g
• onion2

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste, the pepper paste and the pul biber, and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until the pastes darken slightly and smell sweet and cooked. Frying them in the fat first removes their raw, tinny taste. Take care they do not catch on the bottom of the pot; add a spoonful of water if they begin to stick.

• tomato paste2 tbsp
• red pepper paste1 tbsp
• pul biber1 tsp

Add the drained beans and 1.5 litres of hot water, which should cover them by about 2 cm. Bring to the boil, skim off the foam, then cover and simmer gently for 70–90 minutes, until the beans are creamy right through and the beef is tender. Top up with hot water if it gets dry. Add salt only for the last 15 minutes of cooking. The sauce should end up thick, glossy and loosely coating the beans.

• white bean400 g
• water1.5 L
• saltto taste

Take the pot off the heat, keep it covered and leave it for 10 minutes. The sauce thickens slightly and the flavours settle. Taste and adjust the salt. Spoon into warm bowls, making sure each portion has some beef, and serve hot.