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    Home » Recipes

    Cauliflower Beans Coconut Curry

    January 17, 2024 by Kankana Saxena

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    This cauliflower white beans and coconut curry is a great weeknight meal as it comes together in less than 30 minutes. It pairs amazing with rice, but you can even enjoy with paratha or roti.

    Cauliflower white bean and coconut curry

    I made a small batch, but you can make it in a bigger batch. Cook once and eat twice!

    This cauliflower curry is very comforting to the palate, and the coconut milk is so comforting with cauliflower and beans.

    I have made it like an Indian curry by adding spices, but you can keep it light with spices and herbs you are comfortable in adding.

    I was never a big fan of beans and still don’t lean towards it until unless I absolutely have to. Stocking a few cans of beans comes handy. Especially, when I have limited time in hand.

    If I have to choose my favorite beans, it will always be any variety of white beans. There are several ways I like to use the white beans and in a stew or a curry, it works wonders. Not only does it make the gravy creamy, it also adds a good dose of fiber.

    Cauliflower white bean coconut curry

    Ingredients used in this cauliflower beans and coconut curry

    Cauliflower - Get good quality fresh cauliflowers and cut into small bite size florets. Make sure to save the stalk and leaves to make this Fulkopi’r Data Bhaja

    Canned Beans - I love using dried beans for most Indian bean dishes, but in this dish I use canned beans, which made it a quick weeknight curry.

    Tomato Purée - I used half a can of tomato purée, but you can use chopped tomatoes or purée fresh tomatoes too.

    Coconut Milk - Coconut milk adds a mild sweetness and smooth texture to the curry.

    Onion - I used one small red onion, but you can use white or yellow too.

    Ginger garlic paste - Like most Indian curries, this curry too calls for ginger garlic paste.

    Whole Spices - Cumin seeds, green cardamoms and cinnamon sticks. The whole spices add to boost the flavor at the get go as it sizzles in hot oil.

    Spice Paste - Make a simple spice paste with cumin powder, coriander powder, fennel powder and turmeric powder. Mix the spice powder with water.

    Dried Fenugreek leaves - Apart from the other spices, I also added dried fenugreek leaves as it adds a beautiful aromatic flavor to the curry.

    The earthy spices gave a good punch of flavor. The sweet coconut milk provided the perfect balance to the stew. The stew or curry goes really well with dinner rolls or Indian chapatti or even with some grilled tortilla. You could also go carb free and serve it with some green salad on the side.

    The measurements are written in the recipe card below!

    Steps to prepare the cauliflower beans and coconut curry

    Steps to prepare

    1. In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil and then scatter with cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cardamoms. Let it sizzle for a few seconds.

    2. Add ginger garlic paste, chopped onion and stir it around to cook the onion. Season with salt.

    3. In a small bowl, add all the ground spices and mix with water to make a spice paste.

    4. Add the spice paste to the pan and cook the spices along with the onion for 5 minutes.

    Steps to prepare

    5. While the onion cooks, microwave the cauliflower florets for 5 minutes.

    6. Add the partially softened cauliflower and stir it around for a few minutes.

    7. Pour half a can of tomato purée, or purée a small red tomato. Stir and cook for a few minutes.

    8. Drain a can of beans and give it a wash in running water to remove all the access brine, and then add the beans to the pan.

    Steps to prepare

    9. Crush some dried fenugreek leaves, if using, and scatter to the pan and give a mix.

    10. Finally, pour a can of coconut milk and stir to combine everything. Cook for a few minutes, taste for salt and add more if needed.

    11. Enjoy the cauliflower beans and coconut curry with rice.

    The cauliflower bean curry is so comforting and packed with protein and nutrition. It is filling and a great meal for weeknight or even for lunch box. I kept the dish non-spicy, but you can add some chili powder or chopped green chili to add some heat.

    Have you tried these cauliflower dishes?

    Aloo Gobi/ Aloo Gobhi

    Achari Gobi 

    Dahi Gobi

    Air fried cauliflower in five spice  

    Cauliflower beans coconut curry

    FAQs

    Is this cauliflower dish vegan?

    This dish is naturally vegan as I used coconut milk and no meat or dairy product was used in the dish.

    What beans will go best with cauliflower?

    I prefer using white cannelloni beans as it has a creamy taste that goes very well with cauliflower.

    What would best pair with this dish?

    You can serve it with rice or paratha. You can also reduce the quantity of coconut milk that I added and make it a dry side dish that can be served like Taco too with some lettuce for extra crunch.

    Cauliflower white bean and coconut curry

    Cauliflower Beans Coconut Stew

    Kankana Saxena
    This cauliflower white beans and coconut curry is a great weeknight meal as it comes together in less than 30 minutes. It pairs amazing with rice, but you can even enjoy with paratha or roti.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 4
    Calories 151 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    Spice paste

    • ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
    • ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
    • ½ teaspoon Fennel powder

    Whole spices

    • 1 teaspoon Cumin seed
    • 1 small Cinnamon stick
    • 3 Green cardamoms

    Other ingredients

    • 9 oz cauliflower head
    • 3 teaspoons salt
    • 1 teaspoon oil
    • 1 tablespoon Ginger and garlic paste
    • 1 small red onion
    • ⅓ cup Tomato purée
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • 7 oz cannellini beans
    • 6 oz coconut milk
    • fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Cut the cauliflower head into bite size florets and then microwave it for 5 minutes in hot water with 1 teaspoon salt.
    • Peel the onion and dice it into thick slices, about ½ cm thick.
    • Place a heavy bottom skillet or wok on medium heat and drizzle the oil. Add cumin seeds, green cardamoms and cinnamon stick. Once it starts to sizzle, drop the ginger paste and give it a stir. Drop the diced onion and give it another stir. Season with some salt.
    • In a bowl, add the cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder and make a spice paste by mixing with water.
    • Pour the spice paste to the pan and cook the spices for 5 minutes.
    • Add the boiled cauliflower florets and stir it around. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
    • Pour the tomato purée and once again and stir and cook for 1 minute.
    • Add the drained canned beans and mix it around. Cook for 2 minutes.
    • Pour the coconut milk and mix everything to make it a creamy curry. Taste for salt and add if needed.
    • Sprinkle some fresh lime juice and finely chopped cilantro leaves. Stir and serve with your choice of side.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serves 2Calories: 151kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 1864mgPotassium: 237mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 124IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword 30 minutes meal, easy weeknight dinner, vegan side dish, Vegetarian Curry

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenny | The Baking S

      September 16, 2017 at 5:57 am

      This looks so delicious and comforting Kankana. I'd just eat it by itself like soup on chilly evenings. Your photography is gorgeous.

    2. heather (delicious n

      September 14, 2017 at 4:04 pm

      glad you had such a great time in napa! i've been meaning to get there, but it somehow got pushed down the list in favor of other places. anyways, this stew sounds so cozy, and i love the addition of coconut milk!

    3. Kelsie

      September 14, 2017 at 10:24 am

      So glad you had a fun weekend in Napa! I'm going to be dreaming about this stew for weeks. Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies! And all the spices make this just perfect 🙂

    4. shobee

      September 13, 2017 at 12:18 pm

      I will certainly be making this since all of the ingredients are in my pantry. This is my kind of food too.

    5. angiesrecipes

      September 12, 2017 at 9:18 pm

      So healthy and delicious!

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