Wash and soak the beans overnight or for at least a minimum of six hours. Drain the water the next day. Add fresh water and boil the beans with ½ teaspoon of baking soda for about 20 minutes. Cooking with baking soda helps it to cook faster if you don't have a pressure cooker. You will see white foam forming on the top during the boiling process. Remove the foam using a ladle or spoon.
While the beans are boiling, finely chop the onions and garlic.
Roughly chop the tomatoes, seeds included.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the bay leaf, onions and garlic and saute until translucent. About two to three minutes.
Then add the cumin seeds, thyme and chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft and squishy. About 4-5 minutes.
Now add the smoked paprika, the boiled beans (including the bean water), the maple syrup and cover and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Once the beans are cooked, using the back of a spoon or ladle, crush some of the beans. This gives the beans a thicker sauce. Continue cooking for a minute or two.
Serve hot on toast garnished with some chopped herbs.