Anshu Ahuja's golden coconut and butter bean curry recipe

This dish, by DabbaDrop co-founder Anshu Ahuja, has made its way through three generations of her family: from her grandmother's Sunday lunches, to her mother's dinner parties, and now to her own south Asian food-delivery service.

In a twist on erisseri, a comforting, coconut-heavy dish from Kerala, this curry includes plump, creamy butter beans to add bite and soak up the golden, spice-laden sauce.

It's sweet, rich, and tangy all at once: an instant mood-lifter and the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Serve it with fluffy jasmine rice – or eat straight from the pot with a spoon.

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Ingredients (serves 2-3)

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 6-8 fresh curry leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup (about 200ml) coconut milk
• ½ cup (120ml) water
• 1 cup (about 200g) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 400g butter beans, drained and rinsed
• salt, to taste
• lemon juice, to taste

Method

• Heat the coconut oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop, before adding the curry leaves and letting them sizzle for a few seconds.
• Add the sliced onion, chopped garlic, grated ginger and chopped green chilli. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
• Stir in the Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, and sugar, and let the spices toast for 1 minute to release their aroma.
• Pour in the coconut milk and water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the halved cherry tomatoes and drained and rinsed butter beans. Simmer for another 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and the sauce has thickened slightly.
• Season to taste with salt and lemon juice. Serve hot with fluffy jasmine rice or warm naan.

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