The simple and delicious lima bean Curry easily to make under 20 minutes. Spoiler alert, this Indian style curry can turn into a most favorite dish for the whole family.
About this recipe
This is a vegan and protein-rich side dish that pairs up nicely what we serve with. Made with easy to find ingredients, Wonderfully fits the weeknight dinner meals.
Like any other curry recipe, freezer friendly and taste great the amazing even after storing. This lima beans Curry is a perfect recipe to be on your meal prep menu.
And the process of making lima bean curry is suitable to adapt to any cooking method. Choose any cooking method that you are comfortable with-instant pot, stovetop, or slow cooker. provides us a full range of freedom to choose our own, and we will be discussing the instructions for making in each one below.
What is Lima bean curry?
Lima beans Curry is a side dish with spiced thick gravy and soft-cooked lima beans. It’s made in the Indian style of cooking. Where the lima beans are cooked and simmered in the onion tomato gravy and get infused with the other warm spices.
This Indian-spiced Curry would be my all-time favorite choice when I crave for something spicy. It is easy to put it together and the variations are unlimited.
Similar recipes,
- Madras lentils recipe
- Instant pot potato curry
- Indian Salmon Curry
- Vegetable Jalfrezi
- Dosakaya pappu
- Vegetable kurma recipe
How to make Lima bean curry
If you are familiar with Indian cooking or if you have made curry before, added bonanza-this recipe is like a cakewalk for you.
The ingredients
Lima beans. You have options, use canned, dry, or frozen lima beans. For dried-soak overnight. For canned-discard the water. For frozen-add directly to the pan, thawing is not required.
Onion. Yellow onion is my personal choice, gives secret sweetness. However, use the onion which you normally use. Slicing thinly and chopping it further gives the curry a silky texture.
Tomato. I made with freshly pureed Roma tomato. Yet, plum tomato, canned diced or crushed tomato are also equally good in my opinion.
Garlic. Finely grated garlic is the best.
Ginger. In Indian cooking garlic and ginger always go hand in hand. These are not only the flavor enhancers.
Red chili powder. If you worry about the heat, substitute with cayenne pepper or paprika.
Ground coriander. Gives thickness and a wholesome flavor. If you are making Indian style cooking, this ingredient is a worthy investment. A small bag costs about $3 and can last a year long.
Turmeric powder. Used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years, though it will not alter the taste of the curry, I would strongly recommend to use it.
Cumin seeds. The best seasoning provides the curry a facelift.
Cilantro. Used for garnishing makes the curry with a refreshing aroma.
The recipe directions
Get ready. To make the lima bean curry, place a pan over medium heat. Add vegetable oil and cumin seeds. Wait for a few seconds to make it sizzle.
Make the base. Add finely chopped onion, and saute until it becomes soft and tender. Now add grated ginger and garlic. And stir further until they are fragrant but without burning them. Now add tomato and cook until the mixture thickens.
Add spice powders. Now add red chili powder, ground coriander, and turmeric powder. And stir in for a couple of seconds in medium to low heat. Stir in 1.5 cups of water and salt. And bring it to boil.
Cook Lima beans. Add lima beans and cook by covering with a lid. In medium flame cook until the curry thickens to the desired consistency. If not add water and cook until it's completely done.
Garnish. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
What goes with Lima beans curry?
There is an unwritten rule somewhere like curry and rice are inseparable. I do agree with this statement the same hello baby as a million out there.
The plain cooked white rice, or brown rice, or quinoa are the best suggestions to serve with this spiced curry. However, it also tastes good with the slices of bread.
Variations and Ideas
Drizzle a teaspoon of lemon juice is optional, and I would highly recommend.
Green chili. Add slit green chili while sauteing onion for more robust hot Lima bean curry, and make sure to discard before serving.
Garam masala. Can't imagine an Indian dish without garam masala, go ahead and add it. It makes the curry with the restaurant-style finish.
Make ahead and storing ideas.
This lima beans curry is a fantastic meal prep side dish that fits into the refrigerator or freezer absolutely. Make the entire curry ahead of a couple of days prior.
Storing. Once cooked, allow the curry to reach room temperature. Transfer to the airtight containers, and freeze or refrigerate it. Normally, I make in bulk and store in small individual portions, when needed I take out the single pack. It's so much easier for me.
Reheating. Thaw by refrigerating overnight, microwave for 2 minutes. If needed stir and cook further. For the stovetop method, add lima bean curry to the pan, and with ¼th portion of water(like if you reheating 1 cup of curry, add a quarter cup of water). Bring it to boil.
The recipe FAQ
It is available as dry bean and as green bean(usually as frozen). Generally, the grocery stores used to carry the dry beans in their International aisle and the green bean in the frozen vegetable aisle.
Lima bean is also called as butter bean in Europe and double bean in India.
Both of these are equally good. However, the frozen green bean is more comfortable as you can use them straight away from your freezer.
On the other hand, you need to soak the dry bean overnight and precook it before adding it to the curry. The one advantage of using dry bean-you can store unused beans for a couple of years.
Yes, but soak it overnight or minimum for 6 hours, as the unsoaked dried lima beans take a longer time to cook.
Yes follow the same recipe, Set the Instant pot to saute mode, and follow the process the lima beans are added. Then cover the lid and set the cooking timer manually to 4 minutes, and allow the pressure to release naturally. Then garnish with the cilantro and serve.
Printable recipe card
Lima bean curry
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup tomato roughly chopped
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 11/2 cups water
- 1 cup lima bean frozen
Instructions
- Over medium heat in a pan, add vegetable oil and finely chopped onion.
- Saute until the onion turns soft and transulancent.
- Add ginger garlic paste and stir until fragrant.
- Toss roughly chopped tomato and saute until they turn mushy.
- Add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Stir for few seconds without burning them.
- Add water and lima beans. Cover with the lid and cook for 15 minutes in medium heat, or until the lima beans cooked thoroughly and the gravy reaches desired consistency.
Anonymous
Nice recipe. Easy to follow and very delicious
Sujatha Muralidhar
Thank you so much for your review. Glad you liked this recipe.