Tender black beans and spinach are simmered in rich coconut milk and Indian spices in this bowl-licking delicious spicy black bean curry.
This blog definitely has some favorites as far as recipe types are concerned. There are just some varieties of meals that are so good I feel like I’ll never be at a loss for ingredients and flavor combinations. I’ve definitely got a thing for stir-fries. Granola is another repeat offender. Curries, however, probably have the reigning top spot. It’s hard to go wrong with veggies simmered in rich spicy broth, especially when that broth involves coconut milk.
I also have a tendency to get fixated on a favorite ingredient and stick with it for a while, and black beans have been making frequent appearances lately. I think my sweet potato kick of the last couple months might have led to this, because sweet potatoes and black beans are generally a winning combination. Anyhow, black beans are here to stay, or at least hang around and show up in lots of my blog posts, for a while.
I had a black bean curry a few weeks ago at a new-to-me Indian restaurant. I always try and order something unfamiliar when dining outside my usual establishments, and this place had a black bean curry on the menu, which is something I’d never tried before. Apparently it achieved the desired result (being new recipe inspiration) because here I am sharing my own black bean curry, and wondering where this deliciousness has been all my life.
My black bean curry is quite a bit different from the one I had a few weeks ago. I added spinach for one, just because I generally like to balance out rich dishes like this one with some veggies, and I always like the combination of spinach and black beans. I also went with coconut milk for the base, which makes this dish incredibly rich and filling. I almost wanted to stuff this one into a burrito, as the beans are a bit reminiscent of Latin American fare, but I didn’t because one bowl of this atop rice was about as much as I could handle.
This is definitely a new favorite, and after making it I’m pretty hopeless as far as concluding my black bean kick, as I’m certain I’ll be making it again and again.
Spinach, Coconut & Black Bean Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 serrano pepper, minced
- 2 (14 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
- Cooked basmait rice, for (I cooked mine with a pinch of turmeric)
Instructions
Coat a large skillet with oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and serrano pepper. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucen, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans and lime juice. Flip a few times to incorporate and cook for 2 minutes. Lightly mash about half of beans with a fork or potato masher. Add the coconut milk, broth, garam masala, coriander, cardamom and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a simmer and lower the heat. Allow to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, adding a bit of water if it becomes too thick.
Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide among bowls or plates. Serve with rice and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
Recipe Notes
Include the seeds from your serrano pepper for (a lot) more heat. For a milder version, leave them out.
Nutrition information does not include rice.
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