Go Back
Print

Green Bean, Tomato & Coconut Curry

Green Bean, Tomato & Coconut Curry is full of spicy flavour. The creamy coconut milk in the sauce is balanced by tomatoes and a final squeeze of lime. Use fresh or frozen green beans of any kind in this easy, completely plant-based curry.

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Vegetarian, Vegan, plant-based, South Asian inspired
Keyword curry
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 2 generously
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

  • 300 g green beans (French/dwarf/runner) Topped & tailed (& sliced if runner beans)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 medium onions halved and sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic finely grated or chopped
  • 2 cm ginger finely grated or chopped
  • 2 red or green chillies deseeded & finely chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 small handful curry leaves
  • 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1-2 tsp sugar optional
  • 250 ml water
  • 3 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground fenugreek
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 200 ml coconut milk
  • 1 lime juice only
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaf roughly chopped
  • 0.5 tbsp desiccated coconut

Instructions

  1. Boil or steam the beans until almost cooked.

    Drain and cool under a tap. Drain again then set aside.

  2. In a large saute or frying pan, heat the coconut oil.

    Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it's starting to soften & brown (10-15 min)

  3. Stir in the garlic, ginger and chilli then cook for 2-3 min more.

  4. Add the cumin and mustard seeds plus the curry leaves and cook until the seeds start to fizzle and pop (2-3 min).

  5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, the tomato puree, the sugar if using, the water, 2 tsp of the garam masala, the ground coriander, fenugreek and turmeric. Season with salt and pepper.

  6. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until you have a thick, rich sauce (approx 20 min).

  7. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.

  8. Add the green beans and simmer until tender and the sauce is reduced to your liking.

  9. Add the remaining 1 tsp of garam masala plus more salt or sugar if needed.

  10. Take off the heat and stir in the lime juice and chopped coriander.

    Serve sprinkled with the desiccated coconut.

Recipe Notes

  • Frozen green beans will not usually require cooking in advance. Putting in a colander and pouring boiling water over them before adding to the curry base should be sufficient.
  • Serve the curry with a simple crunchy salad (e.g. carrot, desiccated coconut with a squeeze of lime juice and some coconut rice, cauliflower rice, or flatbread. I recommend my Socca chickpea flour flatbread: add some chopped coriander, garlic granules & chilli flakes to the batter and fry them like pancakes in coconut oil.