Gujarati Butter Beans Curry (mota vaal nu shaak)

Posted onAuthorMina Joshi20 Comments

 

Butter beans (often called Lima beans) are full of protein and taste really great. They are available as dried beans which need to be soaked in cold water before cooking, or as tinned beans which are really convenient.

If you’re using dry beans, the best way is to soak them for 7-8 hours and then  boil them  in a pressure cooker as it is quicker. I have always been very fond of butter beans and love them best cooked as a curry with a slightly sweet and sour taste.

This recipe is very simple to make. In addition, it is:

  • vegetarian
  • easily convertible to vegan
  • gluten free
  • absolutely delicious!

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 2 cups or 1 can of butter beans If using dry Butter beans, you need to soak them overnight before boiling them until soft.
  • ½ a can of chopped tomatoes (you can used fresh tomatoes too)
  • 2 tablespoon cooking oil (I used sunflower oil)
  • 1 teaspoon dry cumin
  • 2 small pieces of cinnamon
  • 3 small cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon chilly powder
  • 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
  • optional – ½ cup of plain yogurt (or soya yoghurt alternative)
  • 1  tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoons jaggery or brown sugar (optional)
  • 1 small bunch of coriander and some curry leaves.
  • 2 fresh green chillies

Method:

1. Lightly warm the cumin in a wok or saucepan until you get the lovely cumin fragrance.
2. Add the 2 tablespoons cooking oil to this, add the cloves and cinammon and allow the cumin to cook until it looks dark.
3. Add the garlic, curry leaves and tomatoes to the mixture and stir.
4. Add all the spices, lemon and jaggery to the tomato mixture.( save the yogurt until the butter bean curry is cooked completely)
5. Cook all the ingredients until the tomatoes go soft and homogenous.
6. Add the boiled butter beans to the mixture and cook for a further 10 minutes on a medium heat.

7.   Now add the yogurt and stir the curry for a couple of minutes until it’s all blended together.

8.   Remove the butter beans curry to a serving dish and sprinkle it with some chopped onions, green chilies and coriander.
 9. This curry should be served hot with rice or any of the Indian breads.
Butter beans curry
Print Recipe

Gujarati butter beans curry (Vaal nu shaak)

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: curry, Indian food, vegan
Servings: 2
Author: Mina Joshi

Ingredients

  • 1 can butter beans (240g drained weight) You can substitute for 2 cups of dried butter beans, soaked overnight and boiled
  • ½ can chopped tomatoes you can used fresh tomatoes too
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil e.g. sunflower oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp crushed garlic
  • ½ cup plain yogurt soya yoghurt works as a vegan alternative
  • 1   tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp jaggery or brown sugar optional
  • 1 small bunch of coriander and some curry leaves.
  • 2 fresh green chillies
  • 2 cm piece of cinnamon
  • 3 small cloves

Instructions

  • Warm a dry wok or saucepan over a medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Heat until you get lovely fragrance of cumin.
  • Add the 2 tablespoons cooking oil, followed by the cloves and cinammon and continue to heat until the cumin seeds start to darken.
  • Add the garlic, curry leaves and tomatoes to the mixture and stir.
  • Add the rest of the spices, lemon and jaggery to the tomato mixture.
  • Cook all the ingredients until the tomatoes go soft and homogenous.
  • Add the boiled butter beans to the mixture and cook for a further 10 minutes on a medium heat.
  • Now add the yogurt or soya alternative and stir the curry for a couple of minutes until it's all blended together.
  • Transfer the butter bean curry to a serving dish and optionally sprinkle it with some chopped onions, green chilies and coriander.

Notes

Serve this delicious curry hot with steamed rice or any of the Indian breads.

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