Wild Garlic and White Bean Curry

Ingredients for Wild Garlic and White Bean Curry

• 250g (400g) podded fresh coco beans, or 130g (200g) dried cannellini beans, cooked (see above)

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

• 2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced

• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

• seeds from 5 cardamom pods

• 3 fresh red chillies (or more if you like heat), sliced (seeded if you prefer less heat)

• 12 fresh curry leaves

• 6 kaffir lime leaves

• small handful of coriander roots, washed and minced

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

• 2 tablespoons jaggery juice of 2 limes

• 45ml fish sauce

• 2 x 350g (340 g) cans good quality peeled plum tomatoes

• generous 180ml (200 ml) coconut milk

• 275g (300 g) wild garlic leaves

How to make Wild Garlic and White Bean Curry

Have the beans ready podded, or cooked if using dried beans. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan over medium-low heat and sweat the onions until soft and translucent.

In a separate pan, warm all the spice seeds until they release their fragrance and just begin to jump in the pan. Tip into a mortar and grind with the pestle while still warm.

Add the warm ground spices to the softened onions along with the chillies, curry leaves, lime leaves, and minced coriander root. Cook for another 5 minutes over fairly low heat, then add the crushed garlic, jaggery, lime juice, and fish sauce. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, stir well, and cook for another 10 minutes, then add the fresh or cooked dried beans and coconut milk. Cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes (or until the beans are tender if cooking fresh).

While the curry is cooking, wash the wild garlic very well, picking over each leaf thoroughly for they can carry little stones.

A couple of minutes before serving the curry, add the wild garlic and cook until it is just wilted and soft. Don't overcook it—wild garlic should be bright and vibrant. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. This curry should be soft, fragrant, gently sweet, sharp, and salty, with just enough heat to warm you…

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.