Recipe: Canary Beans with Squash and Aji Amarillo

Batch cooking canary beans means less trips to the store, less time in the kitchen and less stress in life. Here’s a filling recipe to try this week.

With no delivery or restaurant options available in Peru due to lockdown, I’m left to cook every single day—which, to be honest, gets old really fast. Creating recipes or cooking with ingredients that have flexibility and easily reheat have been my main focus lately.  For me, beans—from canary beans to tarwi—are the answer to both goals. They’re easy to cook in bulk and can be used in recipes throughout the week. 

This recipe uses three of my favorite ingredients available in Peru. Canary beans (or canario), yellow pumpkin and aji amarillo.  These are all available in most stores and markets in Peru. For those who have live abroad, you can likely find options for these ingredients so you can still cook up a batch.

Canary beans

Canary beans are yellow when dry but turn an off-white, beige color when cooked. The beans have a neutral flavor which easily absorbs the flavor of the accompanying ingredients. Not to mention, they cook up with a creamy texture. They remind me a lot of cannellini beans. These are generally available outside Peru in local grocery stores or online. 

Zapallo (a.k.a. pumpkin)

Yellow pumpkin, referred to as zapallo or pumpkin depending on who you ask in Peru, is a part of the squash family. It doesn’t hold its shape when cooked but instead breaks apart making it perfect for soups or a bowl of beans. If you are back home, any winter squash such as butternut, kabocha or buttercup will work. The vegetable may stay more intact in your dish but will still taste great.

Aji amarillo 

The aji amarillo is my favorite Peruvian aji pepper and I cook with it whenever I have the opportunity. It has a brilliant color and a slightly fruity flavor. I use an entire aji with seeds but if you prefer less heat, be sure to deseed your aji first. The easiest way to do this is to cut the aji in half lengthwise and scrape out the insides with a spoon. You can also add more or less aji depending on your desired level of spice.

If you are preparing this recipe outside of Peru and don’t have access to fresh aji amarillo, a paste made from the peppers is often available. Read more about sourcing Peruvian ingredients outside of Peru here. 

Easy canary beans with squash and aji amarillo

Makes 5-6 cups

Ingredients

• 1 small red onion, diced small

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 aji amarillo, deseeded and diced small

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 250 grams (8 oz) canary beans, soaked overnight

• 4-6 cups vegetable broth (or water)

• 3 cups zapallo (giant yellow squash) or winter squash, peeled and cut into cubes

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Soak beans overnight. When ready to cook, drain off the water before cooking.
2. Heat oil in a large pot on medium high heat. When hot, add onions and garlic and saute until onions are softened, about five minutes.  Add chopped aji and cook just until it begins to soften. 
3. Add beans and enough liquid to cover the beans (about four cups). Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. After thirty minutes, add squash and more liquid as needed to cover beans and squash.
5. Cook until beans are tender and fully cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ideas for using your canary beans throughout the week

Once you have your batch of beans cooked, eat them up in different presentations so you feel like each day is an exciting new meal. Here are some favorites:

• Prepare a bowl by adding in some rice or quinoa
• Top it off with some salsa criolla, salsa or even a fried egg
• Eat leftovers in a tortilla topped with salsa criolla or avocado for a little Peruvian-Mexican fusion
• Mash them up and mix with cooked rice to make another Peruvian favorite, vegetarian tacu tacu
• Add some extra broth and veggies such as peas, carrots, or green beans to transform it into an easy soup
• Serve it as a side dish with a protein of your choice

One batch of this canary bean recipe makes about 5-6 cups cooked. It also freezes well so cooking a double batch is a way to save some time and effort for future meals. Batch cooking beans means less trips to the store, less time in the kitchen and less stress in life.

All photos by Lyn Croyle/CookEatLiveLove.com