North African · lunch, dinner

Sudanese White Bean and Beef Stew (Fasolia)

فاصوليا بيضاء مطبوخة

Video by Tagwa Sudaniya on YouTube, in Arabic · Open on YouTube

110 min · plus 3–4 hours soaking the beansServes 5390 kcal a serve
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

About 27 g protein and 9 g fibre a serve from white beans and beef; the 31 g net carbs come from beans, which digest slowly.

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Ingredients 10

Method

The cook speaks Arabic; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.

  1. Soak the beans 3–4 hours, then boil them in about 2 litres of water, covered, for 40–50 minutes until tender; drain. 0:02
  2. Meanwhile make the dama (stew base): fry the diced onions in the oil with 1 tsp ground coriander until soft and melting. 0:48
  3. Add the beef and salt, stir well, then pour in 3 cups of boiling water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 40 minutes. 1:15
  4. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, loosen with 1 cup of water, cover and simmer 15 minutes until the sauce thickens. 1:53
  5. Add the cooked beans, the rest of the coriander and the black pepper, cover and simmer a few more minutes before serving. 2:30

Tip. Sudanese families eat it with rice, bread or kisra (thin sorghum flatbread); a salad keeps the meal lighter. Serves 5 is our estimate. Canned white beans (about 575 g drained, 2½ × 400 g cans) save the soaking.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 5

Energy390 kcal1,630 kJ
Protein27 g55% of a day
Fibre9.5 g34% of a day
Carbohydrate40 g31 g net · 5.3 g sugars15% of a day
Fat15 g2.2 g saturated19% of a day
Sodium430 mg19% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 34%
  • Protein 29%
  • Fat 37%

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 71% of the 31 g of net carbs come from the dried white 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 High69%

1.1 g a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (88%). 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.

Zinc High51%

5.6 mg a serve, mostly from beef (66%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin B12 High51%

1.2 µg a serve, mostly from beef (100%). 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.

Iron High34%

6.1 mg a serve, mostly from dried white beans (69%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Selenium High33%

18 µg a serve, mostly from beef (85%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Folate High29%

117 µg a serve, mostly from dried white beans (80%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin B6 High29%

0.5 mg a serve, mostly from beef (47%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Magnesium High23%

98 mg a serve, mostly from dried white beans (74%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Potassium High22%

1010 mg a serve, mostly from dried white beans (64%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Vitamin E High22%

3.3 mg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (58%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Vitamin K Source12%

14 µg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (55%). 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.

Calcium Source11%

143 mg a serve, mostly from dried white beans (72%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin C Source10%

9.2 mg a serve, mostly from onions (80%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

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Vitamin A1%

5.8 µg a serve, mostly from tomato paste (84%). 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, mostly from beef (100%). 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.

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 Tagwa Sudaniya; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.