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Bonchi curry
බෝංචි කරිය (bonchi curry): Sri Lankan green beans in light coconut milk with curry leaves and turmeric
Bonchi curry is one of the small vegetable curries that fill a Sri Lankan rice-and-curry lunch, cooked daily in Colombo kitchens and village homes in the hill country, where green beans grow in terraces near Nuwara Eliya. The beans are simmered in thin coconut milk with turmeric, curry leaves, pandan and green chilli until just tender, then enriched with a splash of thick milk so the sauce is mild, creamy and pale yellow. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is a high-fibre vegetable dish: about 150 kcal and 9 g carbohydrate per portion; serve it with red rice for slower-releasing carbohydrate. The usual mistake is boiling the thick coconut milk, which curdles it; add it at the end and only heat through. Chef's tip: cut the beans on a long diagonal so they soak up more of the sauce.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz green beanssliced diagonally 3 cm
- 1 red onion or shallotssliced
- 2 cloves garlicsliced
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 pandan leaf (optional)5 cm piece
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 cup thin coconut milkcoconut milk diluted half and half with water
- ½ cup thick coconut milk
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put 14 oz green beans, 1 red onion or shallots, 2 cloves garlic, 2 green chillies, 10 curry leaves, 1 pandan leaf, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder and ¾ tsp salt in a pan with 1 cup thin coconut milk. Mix with your hand so the spices coat the beans.
3 minStep 2: Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beans are tender but still bright green.
12 minStep 3: Pour in ½ cup thick coconut milk and heat for 2 minutes without letting it boil, until the sauce is creamy and lightly thickened.
2 minStep 4: For extra flavour, fry a few more curry leaves in 1 tbsp coconut oil until crisp and pour over. Serve with red rice.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bonchi curry take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of red onion or shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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