PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES

SERVES: 4

SRI LANKAN LONG BEAN CURRY

Mum has always said: ‘You don’t need meat every night of the week!’ And for me, this dish definitely does not need meat. It is the perfect blend of spices, creamy sauce and a mix of textures. It doesn’t get any better than this and is a really good starter curry as the flavours are not too full on. Enjoy this dish as part of an Indian-style feast along with My Lamb Curry and Haydo’s Prawn and Mussel Curry.

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) coconut oil (see note)

1 brown onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 long red and green chilli, finely chopped, plus extra sliced, to serve

300 g (10½ oz) piece butternut pumpkin (squash), seeded, peeled and cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) pieces

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek, roasted, ground in a mortar and pestle (see note)

½ teaspoon curry powder

15 curry leaves

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) vegetable stock

400 ml (14 fl oz) tin coconut cream

400 g (14 oz) long beans (snake beans), trimmed, cut into 3 cm (1¼ inch) lengths

300 g (10½ oz) paneer, cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) pieces

155 g (5½ oz/1 cup) roasted cashews

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 cup coriander (cilantro), leaves only

naan bread, to serve

Heat the coconut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Add the onion, garlic, chilli, pumpkin and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onion has softened and the spices are aromatic.

Stir in the curry leaves, stock and coconut cream. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is just tender. Stir in the beans and cook for a further 3 minutes or until the beans are tender.

Transfer the long bean curry to a shallow serving dish and place in the centre of the table. Serve with the paneer, cashews, tomatoes, coriander and naan bread in separate bowls on the side.

NOTES

∎   Coconut oil is available from selected supermarkets and speciality food stores. You can substitute with vegetable oil or ghee.

∎   Fenugreek is available from speciality food stores and Indian emporiums.