Anshu Ahuja's golden coconut and butter bean curry recipe
Plump, creamy beans in a sweet, spicy sauce

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.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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.
Sign up for The Week's Food & Drink newsletter for recipes, reviews and recommendations.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rebekah Evans joined The Week as newsletter editor in 2023 and has written on subjects ranging from Ukraine and Afghanistan to fast fashion and "brotox". She started her career at Reach plc, where she cut her teeth on news, before pivoting into personal finance at the height of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. Social affairs is another of her passions, and she has interviewed people from across the world and from all walks of life. Rebekah completed an NCTJ with the Press Association and has written for publications including The Guardian, The Week magazine, the Press Association and local newspapers.
-
5 unusually elusive cartoons about the Epstein files
Cartoons Artists take on Pam Bondi's vanishing desk, the Mar-a-Lago bathrooms, and more
-
Lemon and courgette carbonara recipe
The Week Recommends Zingy and fresh, this pasta is a summer treat
-
Corbynism returns: a new party on the Left
Talking Point Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's breakaway progressive party has already got off to a shaky start
-
Lemon and courgette carbonara recipe
The Week Recommends Zingy and fresh, this pasta is a summer treat
-
Summer in Seattle: Outdoor dining like nowhere else
Feature Featuring a patio with a waterfront view, a beer garden, and more
-
Thai fish pie with crispy turmeric potatoes recipe
The Week Recommends Tasty twist on the Lancashire hot pot is given a golden glow
-
Critics' choice: Carrying the flag
Feature The best barbecue in town, Bradley Cooper's cheesesteak restaurant, and more
-
8 recipes that require minimal effort for the best kind of summer eating
The Week Recommends It's the season of grilling and smart desserts
-
Grilled radicchio with caper and anchovy sauce recipe
The Week Recommends Smoky twist on classic Italian flavours is perfect to grill, drizzle and devour
-
6 smart, surprising food books to drag you through the summer months
The Week Recommends BBQ and why we consume the way we do are just two of the tackled topics
-
Marfa, Texas: Big skies, fine art, and great eating
Feature A cozy neighborhood spot, a James Beard semifinalists, and more