Name: Goan butter bean curry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 tbsp desiccated/dried shredded coconut; 2 tsp mild chili powder; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground turmeric; Zest and juice of 1 lime; 1 tsp mango chutney; 4 garlic cloves (peeled); 4cm/1 ½ in piece of fresh ginger (you can leave the skin on); 2x 400g/14oz cans or 1 big jar butter beans/lima beans; 1 onion; A glug of light olive oil; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp tamarind paste; 1x 400g/14oz can coconut milk

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Ahead of the release of Batch on May 7th, this Goan butter bean curry from Calum Harris shows how quick plant-based meals can come together with bold flavor. The dish takes just 20 minutes and works for both lunch and dinner. Butter beans replace the traditional fish, creating a plant-based version that still carries spice, richness, and depth. Served with rice, it becomes a naturally gluten-free meal that is easy to prepare and portion.

The curry builds its base from coconut, spices, lime, garlic, and ginger blended into a paste. Butter beans soak up this mixture before cooking, which helps them carry flavor through the dish. Coconut milk adds body, while tamarind and tomato paste bring balance and depth. The beans provide plant protein and fiber, making the curry filling without needing extra components. Fresh mint at the end adds contrast to the warm spices.

Serve this Goan butter bean curry with rice for a simple meal. It also stores well, making it useful for batch cooking across the week.

How to: Goan-inspired butter bean curry

Try this Goan butter bean curry for a quick plant-based meal with coconut, spices, and beans, ready in 20 minutes and served best with rice.

Goan Butter Bean Curry with coconut milk and spices

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Duration20

Cook Time15

Prep Time5

Servings

Ingredients

4 tbsp desiccated/dried shredded coconut
2 tsp mild chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp mango chutney
4 garlic cloves peeled
4cm/1 ½ in piece of fresh ginger you can leave the skin on
2x 400g/14oz cans or 1 big jar butter beans/lima beans
1 onion
A glug of light olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp tamarind paste
1x 400g/14oz can coconut milk

Instructions

Pop the desiccated coconut, spices, lime zest and juice, mango chutney, garlic and ginger in a food processor with a splash of water and process until it forms a nice paste. Pour that into a large Tupperware, then drain the butter beans and mix them into the paste. Set them to one side.
Do me a favor and peel and dice your onion, then throw it (gently) into a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat with a little bit of oil and let it soften. Once that do be softened, add the tomato and tamarind pastes, give it a quick stir, then add the marinated, curried butter beans in their paste.
Fry for a couple more minutes, then pour in your coconut milk lavishly and stir. Chop up the fresh mint and, when you’re ready, serve in bowls with a good helping of cooked rice and a sprinkle of that mint I just told you to chop.

COOKING ADAPTATIONS

You could slow cook this by making the paste, then throwing everything at the same time in the slow cooker for 2–3 hours on a medium setting.

STORAGE

Curry on its own will freeze well for up to 1 month and keep for 5 days in the fridge.

Republished with permission from Batch: Prep Ahead. Easy Meals. All Plants. by Calum Harris, published by Carnival, out May 7, 2026.

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