Cover the beans with water in a large pot. Add the bay leaves and soak the beans for 6 hours.

Preheat the oven to 300ºF.

Once the beans have soaked, start the stew. Drain the beans and set them aside, and wipe out the pot they soaked in.

As the onion sautés, add peeled and diced fresh turmeric to a food processor. Add garlic, Thai chili peppers, extra virgin olive oil, and maple syrup. Blitz until thoroughly blended.

Pour the turmeric mixture into the onion and add the thyme and ground black lime—Cook for 45 seconds. Add the beans and toss to coat with the spice mixture.

Pour in 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add salt and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours until almost completely tender. Remove the lid and continue simmering for 1–1 1/2 hours more or until the beans are completely tender. Add more liquid as needed to prevent the beans from sticking. If using canned beans, cook for 30 minutes instead.

While the beans are simmering, make the sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes in a large baking dish with minimal overlap. Arrange the sliced shallot on top. Cover with oil and ensure the sweet potatoes are fully submerged.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Taste the beans and season once more to your preferences. Spoon the beans into shallow bowls. Using a fork or slotted spoon, remove two sweet potato medallions from the oil and arrange them on top. Garnish with microgreens and fennel pollen if you like. Enjoy!