Butterbean & Coconut Curry - Recipe

 Butterbean & Coconut Curry (serves 4)

The butterbean & coconut curry is an absolute favourite in my household. I first made this dish, during lockdown, back in March 2020. It was thrown together with whatever I had leftover in the fridge and pantry.

Originally I wanted to use chickpeas (something I always thought I had in the house) unfortunately I had ran out of chickpeas, but I didn't plan on going to the shops anytime soon, due to the covid situation. So it had to be the butterbeans, literally had just the one tin of beans, some coconut milk, a handful of cherry tomatoes, spinach, and spices which I always have plenty of. I served this dish with wild rice and a squeeze of lime juice.

Ingredients, 

• 2 cartons of butterbeans
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp whole cumin, mustard & coriander seeds
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb piece of ginger
• 1 green chilly
• 1 – 2 tsp salt
• 1 – 2 tsp ground coriander seeds
• 1 tsp ground cumin seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 100g of cherry tomatoes
• 3 Black Kale leaves
• Fresh coriander for garnish
• Fresh Lime for garnish
• Red Chillies for garnish
• 1 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil

Method

1. Heat frying pan, add oil and whole seeds, stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. 

2. Add the sliced onions and cook until golden, crush the garlic ginger and chilly in the pestle and mortar and add to the onion mixture. Cook until fragrant (be careful not to burn the ginger and garlic, as it will taste bitter)

3. Add the salt, turmeric, ginger, coriander and stir fry for 1 minute, add a dash of hot water if sticking.

4. Add the coconut milk and fill the tin with hot water and add to the coconut mixture, let this simmer, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning.

5. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the butterbeans, wash, and chop the kale, wash and pat dry the tomato’s place in an ovenproof dish, drizzle with oil and season. Place in the oven for 10 -15minutes, until tomatoes have softened.

6. Add the butterbeans & kale, garam masala to the coconut sauce. Simmer for a further 10 minutes, until sauce thickens, and you will see the specs of oil on the edges of the frying pan.

7. Garnish with the roasted tomatoes, fresh coriander, red chilly and lime juice.

8. Serve with rice.