East African · lunch, dinner
Maharagwe (Kenyan Coconut Bean Stew)
Video by Rukia Laltia on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan with a vegetable stock cube or salt instead of the royco seasoning
- Vegetarian with a vegetable stock cube or salt instead of the royco seasoning
- Gluten-free with a swap: Check that the Royco or stock powder is gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: Gluten. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Kidney beans provide plenty of fibre, plant protein, folate and iron, and the tomato base adds vitamin C to help absorb the iron. An affordable, filling main.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 12
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Boil the dried kidney beans in plenty of water until completely soft and the water has cooked away. 0:16
- In another pot, heat the oil and fry the sliced onion until golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds. 0:33
- Stir in the tomato purée, swirling a little water in its container to catch the rest. Add the sliced tomatoes and a pinch of salt and press them down as they cook until soft and juicy. 1:08
- Add the curry powder and Royco, pour in ¼ cup water and cook for 2 minutes. 1:52
- Add the beans with ½ cup water and simmer about 5 minutes until thickened. 2:17
- Pour in the coconut milk, stir and simmer 2–3 minutes until creamy and well combined. Serve with chapati or rice. 2:38
Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate). Time assumes about 1½ hours to boil unsoaked beans; two drained 400 g cans cut it to 30 minutes. Light coconut milk cuts saturated fat. Use a vegetable stock powder if you need it vegan.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 33%
- Protein 16%
- Fat 51%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 75% of the 32 g of net carbs come from the dried red kidney beans. To cut carbs, try a smaller portion with extra leafy or other non-starchy vegetables.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Omega-3 High64%
1 g a serve, mostly from canola or vegetable oil (76%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Folate High54%
215 µg a serve, mostly from dried red kidney beans (87%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Iron High32%
5.7 mg a serve, mostly from dried red kidney beans (55%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Magnesium High24%
99 mg a serve, mostly from dried red kidney beans (61%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Potassium High21%
1010 mg a serve, mostly from dried red kidney beans (58%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin K High21%
25 µg a serve, mostly from dried red kidney beans (48%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin B6 High20%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from dried red kidney beans (52%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Zinc Source19%
2.1 mg a serve, mostly from dried red kidney beans (68%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin C Source19%
17 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (61%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin E Source16%
2.3 mg a serve, mostly from canola or vegetable oil (64%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Selenium Source11%
6 µg a serve, mostly from thick coconut milk (60%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Show the other 4
Calcium6%
75 mg a serve, mostly from dried red kidney beans (53%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin A4%
35 µg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (91%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Rukia Laltia; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.