Middle Eastern-Style Black Bean and Avocado Stew

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Fried onion

1. 1
   Heat the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveWide, shallow pot
2. 2
   Add and fry 5–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
3. 3
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

To assemble

1. 4
   Add the red pepper and fry 5 minutes, stirring.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
2. 5
   Add the cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper and stir.
3. 6
   Add the tomatoes and cook 5 minutes.

   Stove
4. 7
   Add the black beans and bring to a boil.

   Stove
5. 8
   Turn down the heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

   ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
6. 9
   Add the avocado and lemon juice and stir gently.
7. 10
   Sprinkle the cilantro on top.